Gaming the Game Read online

  Published by Barricade Books Inc.

  185 Bridge Plaza North

  Suite 309

  Fort Lee, NJ 07024

  www.barricadebooks.com

  Copyright © 2011 by Sean Patrick Griffin

  All Rights Reserved.

  NOTE: All photographic stills that appear in this book are drawn from the personal collection of Sean Patrick Griffin and Jimmy Battista unless otherwise noted. They are reprinted here with full permission.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gaming the game : the story behind the NBA betting scandal and the gambler who made it happen / by Sean Patrick Griffin.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-56980-444-5

  ISBN-10: 1-56980-444-3

  1. Basketball--Betting—United States. 2. Basketball—Corrupt practices—United States. 3. Basketball—Moral and ethical aspects—United States. 4. Battista, Jimmy. I. Title.

  GV887.7.G74 2011

  796.323’640973--dc22

  2010045393

  ISBN 13: 978-1-56980-444-5

  1-56980-444-3

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  For Kelly and Connor

  AS AN AVID sports fan, I thought I was relatively familiar with the National Basketball Association (NBA) betting story when I decided to research this scandal in March 2008. Like most of the public, it seems, I had paid little attention to Jimmy Battista’s role in the conspiracy. Certainly, media coverage was dominated by stories on Tim Donaghy, with an understandable preoccupation with the issue of the referee’s influence on the outcomes of games. He adamantly denied fixing games, a claim which was supported by several media assessments and by an official NBA report. With that preeminent issue seemingly aside, at least as it pertained to Donaghy, I thought there was little point in focusing on him. The referee, of course, wouldn’t be privy to the sorts of things that matter in a betting conspiracy such as this and I quickly discovered pro gambler Battista was far more noteworthy on a host of levels. Only Battista could discuss what he did with the information Donaghy provided, how much money was being placed directly as a result of Donaghy’s calls, where that money went and why, and how this data affected international betting lines and related activities. The career hustler and bettor knew how everything in that universe worked, and could provide insights beyond what few people know about big-time sports gambling. Battista is also the best source to assess referee Donaghy’s claims that he didn’t influence NBA games he bet. Because of his role in the scandal, and as a result of his relationship with Donaghy and others close to him, the gambler is also someone who could discuss whether there were other referees involved. Furthermore, Battista would better know why he popped up in a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe of New York City’s Gambino crime “family,” sparking the entire NBA betting fiasco. In fact, if my suspicions were correct, he would be able to explain the broader relationship between gangsters and the sports-betting community. Battista would also be a valuable resource to discuss what role inside information plays in gambling. If the man known in big-time gambling circles as “The Sheep” was willing to talk, in addition to setting the record straight on the NBA scandal, two topics of much conjecture could be examined … from the inside . Jimmy Battista, I concluded, was the one who would best serve my interests, the one whose story would fill in existing gaps and others unknown.

  * * *

  At the urging of his wife, his family, and his close friends, Jimmy Battista entered the White Deer Run addiction treatment facility in March 2007 to conquer his long battle with drugs. He resolved not only to give up the cocaine and prescription pills, but the profession—the obsession—that precipitated his abuse in the first place. The feared and respected gambler was giving up betting for good, and his timing was incredibly fortuitous. Just weeks after his successful completion of the inpatient program and return home from the Lehigh Valley sticks, the FBI paid him a visit to disclose their interest in him regarding a variety of issues. Had he simply continued his normal and illicit activities, Battista would have unknowingly placed himself—and countless others—in more dire legal jeopardy than ultimately was the case. The uncanny combination of luck (or fate) and rehabilitation stirred Jimmy, and the subsequent court proceedings, media speculation, and imprisonment pushed him to the brink. The self-professed former bookmaker, bettor, and drug addict wanted and needed to tell his story.

  * * *

  As evidenced by its subtitle, Gaming the Game is essentially two stories in one: the life and times of pro gambler Jimmy “Baba” Battista; and the inside story of the NBA betting scandal (for which he was the architect). The former story entails Battista’s rise within the sports betting world, and these narratives often include insights into the people, places, and things many of us never knew existed. Very little of this book’s content is public knowledge, and individuals who have agreed to share details of their activities (often including hard data to support their tales) in order to explain the sociology of big-time sports betting have interests to protect. As such, certain names, dates, locales, and other identifiers have been altered, none of which takes away from our understanding of how this gambling underworld operates. Concerning the latter story (i.e., those narratives explicitly dealing with the NBA betting scandal), however, considerable effort has been made to offer the most detailed and accurate account to date. Thus, the scandal-specific characters and chronology are offered without alteration so that follow-up research can be conducted.

  The NBA Betting Scandal

  Judge Carol Bagley Amon —U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) who oversaw the NBA betting scandal cases against Tim Donaghy, Jimmy Battista, and Tommy Martino.

  Jimmy “Baba” “Sheep” Battista —lifelong resident of Delaware County, PA (“Delco”), just outside Philadelphia; architect of the 2006-07 NBA betting scandal; professional gambler; one of the world’s most consequential movers; former book-maker and runner.

  Jack Concannon —Delco native; insurance company owner and recreational gambler who had known Jimmy Battista for years; placed bets for NBA referee Tim Donaghy on NBA games for a few years before Donaghy switched to betting with Battista in December 2006 after Donaghy was supposedly stiffed by Concannon on his winnings; returned to betting on NBA games for Donaghy in February 2007 (at which point Donaghy was also betting with Battista).

  Gerard “Gerry” Conrad —Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent (SA) who partnered with case agent Paul Harris; member of the FBI’s Gambino Squad.

  Tim “Timmy” “Elvis” Donaghy —Delco native; 13-year NBA referee at the time of the scandal; close, longtime friend of Tommy Martino; attended Cardinal O’Hara High School with Martino and Battista.

  Jeffrey A. “Jeff” Goldberg —Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in the EDNY operating out of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section (OCRS); assigned to NBA scandal case by summer 2007; took over as lead prosecutor in the case following AUSA Tom Siegel’s August 2007 departure.

  Jake Griffin —Philadelphia–based defense attorney for Tommy Martino; accompanied Martino to the grand jury in Brooklyn; ultimately replaced as Martino’s lawyer by Vicki Herr.

  Paul N. Harris —FBI SA who led the NBA betting scandal investigation; mem
ber of the FBI’s Gambino Squad.

  Vicki Herr —Media, PA–based defense attorney; succeeded Jake Griffin in representing Tommy Martino.

  John F. Lauro —Tampa, FL–based defense attorney who represented Tim Donaghy; former AUSA, EDNY.

  Thomas “Tommy” Martino —Delco native; Battista’s lifelong friend and longtime “assistant;” juggled being a computer technician and small-time dope dealer; supplied Battista with his various drugs throughout the years; served as the intermediary between Battista and Martino’s longtime pal (and fellow O’Hara grad), NBA referee Tim Donaghy, during the scandal.

  Jack McMahon —Philadelphia–based defense attorney for Jimmy Battista; former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney; ran unsuccessfully for D.A. in 1997.

  Lawrence B. Pedowitz —New York City–based lawyer; former Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY); represented the NBA during the betting scandal court proceedings; produced NBA-commissioned report in October 2008 examining the scandal and related NBA practices.

  Pete Ruggieri —Delco native who attended Monsignor Bonner High School with Jack Concannon; professional gambler; Battista betting associate dating back years; piggybacked wildly successful betting picks first placed by Concannon and then by Jimmy Battista on games Tim Donaghy officiated; briefly served as an “out” for Martino and Donaghy when Battista entered drug rehab in March 2007, and soon refused to continue accepting bets when he realized what fools he was dealing with.

  Philip “Phil” Scala —FBI Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) in charge of the FBI’s Gambino squad; privy to much of the NBA scandal case; retired in 2008 during the sentencing phase of the case; lone FBI official who can speak openly about the scandal probe.

  Thomas J. “Tom” Siegel —AUSA, EDNY, OCRS; led the prosecution of parties in the NBA betting scandal; left his post in August 2007 soon after Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty.

  David J. Stern —NBA Commissioner from 1984 to present.

  “The Animals”

  “Bull” —named for his physical appearance; mover.

  “Seal” —named for his physical appearance; mover; only Animal to remain with Mike Rinnier following the infamous split in the mid-1990s.

  “Tiger” —named for his aggressive business demeanor; de facto “CEO/CFO” of all things Animals, including handicapping, following the split with Rinnier; was among the most consequential sports bettors in the U.S.; mathematical and statistical whiz; former bookmaker.

  “Sheep” —Jimmy “Baba” Battista; named by his family for his travails long before ever joining forces with The Animals; in charge of managing “outs.”

  The Bookmakers

  “Bluto” —big-time Jewish New York City bookmaker who was allegedly connected to the Gambino crime family; longtime friend and business associate of Joe Vito Mastronardo.

  Louis “Lump” Lambrusco —legendary Delco restaurateur and bookmaker; Battista mentor in the 1980s; associate of Mike Rinnier.

  Joseph “Joe Vito” Mastronardo —most consequential book-maker in the Philadelphia region, and one of the most significant in the U.S., from 1980s through 2000s; associate of Mike Rinnier; longtime associate of Battista and The Animals; also a prominent pro gambler.

  Ronnie Park —New York City bookmaker who started a premier offshore sportsbook (All-Star Sports) in Curacao circa 2002/3 with the help of The Animals; returned to NYC after All-Star Sports imploded.

  Jimmy “Candyman” Pirollo —Delco-based bookie; was murdered in December 1993, causing Mike Rinnier and The Animals (with whom Pirollo dealt) to fear the Philly mob was killing suburban bookies and bettors for not paying “street tax.”

  Michael F. “Mike” “Rug” Rinnier —prominent Philadelphia-area businessman who owned supermarkets among other legitimate investments; operated one of the region’s largest bookmaking operations; employed The Animals in their formative years as bookmakers-turned-professional gamblers.

  The Sharps

  “The Chinaman” —Vietnamese-American; medical doctor; specialized in betting professional basketball and second halves of football; was also a fairly successful professional poker player.

  “The Computer” —By far, the most successful and significant sports bettor in history; specialized in betting college and pro football; had unreal networks of individuals who provided inside information; widely credited with being the first bettor to employ a research team exploiting computer analysis applied to sports betting; renowned for his tenacity and business acumen; had numerous legitimate business interests.

  “The Englishman” —specialized in betting soccer (“football”) in England; prominent legitimate businessman; associate of The Chinaman.

  “The Kosher Kids” —aka “The Koshers;” New York City– based, Jewish professional bettors legendary for successfully wagering on baseball.

  “The Poker Players”— collection of some of the world’s most prominent poker players who also wagered big money on sports (specializing in betting on baseball).

  “Zorba” —One of the world’s best-known professional gamblers; ran one of the most consequential off-shore sports betting sites; had close ties to The Computer.

  Philadelphia’s Organized Criminals

  “Boys downtown” —also referred to by Battista and his suburban gambling colleagues interchangeably as “idiots downtown,” “guys downtown,” “mobsters,” and “wiseguys.” Each term is used to reference Italian-American organized crime figures who operated primarily out of South Philadelphia, and whose operations often extended into Philly’s suburbs, into New Jersey, and into Delaware. Until the murder of mob boss Angelo Bruno in 1980, for decades the city’s predominant organized crime group was called the “Bruno Family.” Some referred to the syndicate as the “Scarfo Family” when Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo was head roughly from 1981 through 1991, after which he has effectively been serving a life sentence in prison for his role in various mob-related offenses (the 81-year-old Scarfo, who is incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, is slated for release in 2033). Most have taken to simply calling the group the “Philly-South Jersey mob” ever since Scarfo’s removal, and by 2010 the syndicate was barely a shadow of the organization Bruno led.

  Jimmy Battista and his suburban Philly gambling associates, who operated in fear of a visit from this bunch, uniformly refer to Philly mobsters as some version of “boys/guys/idiots downtown.” During the time Battista and The Animals were operating, their main concern was the ongoing (roughly 1991– 1994) mob war pitting factions supporting Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino against those behind boss John Stanfa. The chaos in the underworld inspired the mob’s greater extortion of bookmaking and betting operations like those run by The Animals. Threats and fear dominated this time, and greatly influenced the white-collar pro gamblers’ move to Las Vegas.

  AS USUAL, JIMMY Battista was the first to wake up. He got out of bed and rustled his wife Denise up and into the shower before heading down the hallway to the girls’ rooms to get the day started for each of them as well. With Denise and their three daughters, whose ages ranged from six to eleven years old, getting washed and dressed, Jimmy ventured downstairs for what had become his daily awakening. “I did a line of coke on the computer desk downstairs in my office, popped two OxyContins, and had a cup of coffee. I was so strung out and that was how I kept going.”

  Why the forty-two year-old professional gambler—known in betting circles mostly as “Sheep”—was so strung out on December 12, 2006, would later become a national news story. For now, however, all Jimmy was concerned with was the morning routine. “It was a regular school morning. My wife was in cosmetology school, so she had to be out the door at eight-thirty to be there at nine. I got the kids breakfast, packed their lunches, and walked them to the bus stop. When I came back, I gambled through the morning session from like nine-thirty to noon. My main gambling headquarters was my office in my house.”

  Battista li
ved in a McMansion suburban development, the kind characteristic of the housing boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His home sat in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, some forty minutes northwest of Center City Philadelphia and within walking distance of historic Valley Forge, famous for the brutally challenging encampment of George Washington’s Continental Army during the winter of 1777. The neighborhood was populated with middle- and upper-middle-class types and overflowed with kids, whose swing sets and other playthings filled many of the groomed yards. The Battista’s well-maintained brick face, with the trampoline in the fenced yard and the minivan and SUV in the driveway, did not stand out. Few neighbors—if any—had a clue about the chicanery that took place within the home’s first-floor study. If they had entered Jimmy’s betting lair, they would have immediately been struck by the thirteen computer monitors that covered the wraparound desk that had to measure fifteen feet in total. Each monitor served its own betting-related purpose. Some kept up-to-the-minute betting lines from sportsbooks around the world; others offered up sports injury and other news; and the remainder most often served as communication devices (via E-mail, instant messaging, and online phoning). The room also housed a large, flat-screen television placed strategically in the upper corner for best viewing. One oddity stood out, however. Amidst the computers and phones, and the sports-watching-driven technology, was a smaller VCR-TV combo which sat apart from the work trappings. This was exclusively for Battista’s daughters, who got so accustomed to Dad’s outrageous work schedule and long hours that they cherished just being in the room with him even if he was preoccupied and his attention was spotty. Often, as Jimmy was frantically phoning and clicking his bets and sensitive information around the world, his little girls would be there watching Disney tapes and Nickelodeon. Such was life in the Battista household.