45 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

TSN.ca Staff with NBC, ABC news affiliate files

2/7/2006 12:43:00 PM

ABC and NBC News affiliates in Philadelphia report that the New Jersey attorney general says former NHL player Rick Tocchet and a state police trooper will face charges related to a gambling ring allegedly tied to organized crime.

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Interesting choice of photo

[Jennifer1515]

here is another article on this

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/hock...g.ap/index.html

Over the course of the investigation, state police found wagers placed by about half a dozen current NHL players and from someone Fuentes described as a "movie celebrity," all of whom have been interviewed as part of the investigation. Fuentes did not disclose their names, saying the investigation was ongoing.

Fuentes said the hockey players bet on football and basketball games, not hockey.

The gambling ring had a connection with organized crime in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, Fuentes said.

[Just Duckie]

Here's another article. This one mentions Janet Gretzky being implicated as one of the supposed gamblers.

The NHL did not need this after the lockout year.

[jojo983]

The NHL did not need this after the lockout year.

Nor does Wayne Gretzky.

[DropThePuck]

A poster made by the New Jersey State Police sits on an easel Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006, at a news conference in West Trenton, N.J., showing an organizational chart of a gambling enterprise that led to the arrests of New Jersey State Trooper James J. Harney and Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach and former Philadelphia Flyers player Richard Tocchet. Also arrested was James Ulmer. The investigation is ongoing according to police.
(AP Photo/Mel Evans)

[GLOVESAVE35]

The NHL did not need this after the lockout year.

Nor does Wayne Gretzky.

I wonder if Wayne knew what his wife was doing?

[SacredCow]

Who here thinks that Janey Gretzky likes to bet on sports? Anyone? I didn't think so.

Now, who here thinks that Janet Gretzky was making wagers on behalf of her husband? Me too.

This is going to get very ugly before it's all over, and I'm guessing Rick Tocchet takes the bullet on this one and doesn't reveal the names of the players. The idiot cop that was his partner in crime, though, I'll bet he sings like a canary.

[DropThePuck]

When asked after the game about his wife, Gretzky said she was in California. The two talked, he said, but she did not speak about her involvement.

"We didn't get into it other than she was concerned about Rick and she felt it was a tough situation with him," Gretzky said, "and she would sit down at some point and answer questions that everybody has for her and be her own person."

Gretzky said "absolutely not" when asked whether she had placed bets for him.

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[Veca]

Wow! No way can they keep the names from me......

[MrsBevo]

There was also some speculation that Jeremy Roenick was one of the players involved. I do remember a story on him that mentioned his fondness for betting on football games and the like.

My guess is that the betting isn't illegal, especially when it isn't your own sport that you play, but the betting ring itself?

[Dark Knight]

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NHL hired the former federal prosecutor who headed the Unabomber case to investigate Rick Tocchet, the Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach accused of financing a nationwide gambling ring that took bets from about a half-dozen current players.

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[DropThePuck]

At the meeting, Mr. Tocchet requested an indefinite leave of absence from his coaching duties with the Phoenix Coyotes, which Commissioner Bettman granted on the following conditions:

* Mr. Tocchet will immediately cease all contact and communication with all League and Club personnel for the duration of his leave of absence.

* The leave of absence will not end without the Commissioner's consent.

* The Commissioner reserves the right to modify the terms of Mr. Tocchet's leave of absence at any time.

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[Veca]

This whole thing is gaining momentum every day it seems. The rumor mills are just working overtime. Wonder how many lives will get ruined, innocent and guilty, before this is all over and done with????

I just bet there will be names we would never dream of....

[Dark Knight]

What Wayne Knew...

TSN.ca Staff | 2/9/2006 11:40:59 AM |
The Newark Star-Ledger reported Thursday morning that law enforcement sources told them that state wiretaps recorded Rick Tocchet and Wayne Gretzky allegedly discussing the multimillion dollar gambling operation before it was dismantled.

LINK

[Just Duckie]

There was also some speculation that Jeremy Roenick was one of the players involved.  I do remember a story on him that mentioned his fondness for betting on football games and the like. 

My guess is that the betting isn't illegal, especially when it isn't your own sport that you play, but the betting ring itself?

For the bettors, it was probably not illegal per se, but there may be tax evasion implications if they profited from their gambling and didn't report the income.

In regards to Tocchet, he allegedly financed the illegal gambling ring and the ring may have links to organized crime, so there also may be money laundering charges among other things. I don't know exactly what he was charged with, but if these reports are true, then he is in more trouble than people who allegedly placed the bets, but had no ties to the actual operation of the ring.

[DropThePuck]

Wayne Gretzky was recorded on a wiretap talking to the alleged financier of a gambling ring, discussing how the hockey great's wife could avoid being implicated, a person with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Gretzky, coach and part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, can be heard on wiretaps made within the past month talking about his wife with assistant coach Rick Tocchet, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Gretzky's wife, actress Janet Jones, allegedly bet at least $100,000 on football games over the course of the investigation by state authorities, the person said.

There is no evidence that Gretzky placed any bets, according to the person.

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[DropThePuck]

Q&A: Laws regarding sports betting

Some commonly asked questions about gambling, office pools and the law:

Q: Is betting on sports legal in New Jersey?

A: In some instances, yes, provided that the amount of money wagered is equal to the amount paid to the winner or winners. For example, if a person bets $10 with a friend on the Super Bowl and collects $10 after winning, there is no crime. If the two bet through a third party who takes a percentage of the money or some advantage, he or she is promoting gambling, which is a crime. Also, any establishment with a liquor license - including VFW posts or private clubs - cannot offer gambling, except for casinos.

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[Veca]

This is all too sad, just too sad. Some lives will forever be ruined. I dread every day hearing more and more of this stuff.

[MrsBevo]

The Great One's halo is getting a wee bit tarnished.

[Veca]

According to the newspaper, Jones waged $500,000 on sporting events during the past six weeks, including $75,000 on last week's Super Bowl.

The Great One didn't even notice such sums of money being spent??? Wow!!!!! or

[Dark Knight]

According to the newspaper, Jones waged $500,000 on sporting events during the past six weeks, including $75,000 on last week's Super Bowl.

The Great One didn't even notice such sums of money being spent??? Wow!!!!! or

Or $75K to them equals $7.50 to the rest of us

[DropThePuck]

"Before we start, first and foremost, I wanted to say that, I am not going anywhere," Gretzky said. "I am still going to coach the Phoenix Coyotes. I have done nothing wrong, nothing that has to do with anything along the lines of betting. Never happened. I am going to Italy on Sunday. I am going to be with Team Canada and be a part of the Olympic Games."

"And thirdly, lastly, I will say it one more time as I said the other night. I didn't bet. Didn't happen. It's not going to happen. Hasn't happened. It is not something that I have done. So, in saying all that, I appreciate everyone's support. …

"I've felt like the last three days I have defended myself over something that absolutely, unequivocally never happened. That I was not involved with. So in saying all that, I hope you appreciate that three days have been horrible and I am just ..."

Gretzky paused again before resuming.

" … too tired mentally and physically to talk any more about it. There's nothing for me to talk about. And, if you have any questions for people who are involved in this, contact them."

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[Dark Knight]

I wonder if he'll have to retract any of this...

[DropThePuck]

JR keeping his mouth closed???

KEEPING QUIET

Roenick refused to speak with the media about the gambling investigation that has cast a shadow on the NHL.

Roenick's name surfaced during the investigation that led to a leave of absence for Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Tocchet and Roenick were teammates in Phoenix from 1998-2000.

Some reports said Roenick bet $100,000 through the illegal betting ring.

"Whatever J.R. is saying, I believe," Murray said. "Fortunately or unfortunately, we've got more important issues right now for our team. That's not to say that a player isn't a concern."

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[DropThePuck]

Burke, fresh from NHL general managers meetings in Henderson, Nev., expressed confidence that no one in the Ducks organization will become entangled in the gambling scandal surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes and associate coach Rick Tocchet.

“I’m comfortable, based on my observations and just from talking to a couple of players, that there’s no issue for us,” Burke said. “Personally, it’s a big issue with me. Every charter flight, I go back, see if there’s a card game going on, make sure it’s not getting silly, talk to the captains about it. It can really split your team if a guy loses a lot of money on a card game.”

<link to OCR article posted in Media Roundup>