Ex-Asu Players Face Indictment
Two former Arizona State basketball players reportedly will be indicted in a federal grand jury investigation of point-shaving allegations involving the 1993-94 team.
Some of the allegations involved games against Washington and Washington State.
According to reports by ABC News, CNN-SI and The Arizona Republic, Stevin “Hedake” Smith, who is second on the school’s career scoring list, and one other player are expected to be indicted.
The Republic and CNN-SI identified the second player as Isaac Burton.
ABC did not identify the second player but said he and Smith received tens of thousands of dollars from Joseph Gagliano Jr., a Phoenix-based investment adviser who allegedly won more than $1 million betting against Arizona State during the 1993-94 season.
The Republic said the investigation also targeted former Scottsdale resident Benny Silman, a former partner in a cappuccino stand operating at America West Arena, the home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
Dan Drake, the assistant U.S. Attorney in charge of the investigation, declined comment on the reports.
The Associated Press was unable to locate telephone numbers for Smith, Burton and Gagliano, but Smith has denied any wrongdoing in the past and ABC said Gagliano had declined to be interviewed. CNN-SI reported that Burton’s agent said Burton was cooperating with authorities and would have no comment.
Gagliano was working at a trader on the Chicago Board of Exchange at the time of the alleged point-shaving, and his and Silman’s names were among those listed on 27 subpoenas issued in July to employees of Las Vegas casinos who were directly involved in betting activities during that season, The Republic said it was told by sources it didn’t identify.
Since then, Silman reportedly has moved out of Arizona, and his former partner in Cappuccino Etc., Michael Liederman of Scottsdale, said he hasn’t seen him in some time, the Republic said.
The Republic, quoting sources familiar with the grand jury probe, said Smith had been paid either to lose or to keep the games within the point spread.
In March 1994, the Sun Devils were three-point favorites against Washington State but lost 80-71. Two days later, Arizona State was listed as a 10-point favorite over Washington, but the line plummeted to three points when three men bet $250,000 on the Huskies. Alerted by the size of the wager, Las Vegas casinos suspended betting on the game.
The Republic said in early August that the amount wagered actually was $1 million and that Arizona State games with Oregon and Oregon State in January 1994 also were involved. In a later story, the Republic said a February game with Southern California drew similar betting and that a gambler put $1 million on the March 5 Washington game.