As heard on tonight's Celtics Late Night Show:
Earlier this week former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was accused of threatning the publisher of his book, "Personal Foul", with the mob. Donaghy did have connections with the mob before he went to prison, but since then he has tried to avoid them at all cost because of the way his betting scandal went down.
Here is the story via fellow Celtics blog - Celtics Town:
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy hoped his book, showing how he became the “central figure in a Mafia-controlled gambling ring,” would earn enough to pay off a $200,000 debt. He also hoped it would provide some financial security for himself and four daughters.
To date, he hasn’t gotten a dime.
Instead, he finds himself embroiled in a bitter dispute with his Largo-based publisher. He said she has refused to give him information about the financial success of his book, Personal Foul.
She said Donaghy threatened her, mentioning mob connections.
On top of that, she said, she has information that Donaghy may have committed more serious crimes. [...]
The initial printing, 10,000 books, sold within three weeks, said VTi chief executive Shawna Vercher. But Donaghy and Vercher’s relationship quickly deteriorated. In March, they cut ties.
Donaghy said he broke things off because Vercher tried to tack on additional costs and wouldn’t provide him with financial details.
Vercher’s side of the story: Donaghy called her office incessantly, became increasing hostile, demanded money and made veiled threats.
“Mr. Donaghy explained to me he had connections in the mob and the Gambino crime family and that they had an active member near me,” said Vercher, 33.
Donaghy vehemently denied ever saying anything like that.
“She’s using tabloid tactics to try to say I’m a bad person because the bottom line is she has not given me a full and accurate account of the profits and proceeds for Personal Foul,” said Donaghy, 43, who repeated a similar mantra about 20 times during an interview at a Panera Bread, near his Sarasota home.
Before Donaghy takes his cut, earnings from Personal Foul go to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which will make sure the NBA gets its money.
But Donaghy doesn’t want to wait for the government to sort things out. He wants Vercher to show him the figures, now.
“Why should I have to wait and go through all that when I have a contract in place,” Donaghy said. He now works sporadically with a New Jersey-based group called Firstep, doing interventions for people with gambling addictions.
Donaghy’s Tampa attorney, Nick Mooney, said Vercher failed to provide the government with a complete accounting, either.
Vercher said she is cooperating fully with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which refused to comment on the case.
Since the release of the newest version of the book, Donaghy has constantly been battling financial issues with the publisher. According to Donaghy he has not recieved a dime for the work he put into the book.
Today Tim agreed to address his side of the story exclusively for our network of sites.
By now, you’ve read Shawna’s allegations in living color. While it smacks of a pissing match of the highest order, I only ask you this: please withhold your opinions and judgment of me until you let the courts examine the real truth behind the story, which will happen soon.
Through Shawna’s work, she has the media at her fingertips. As she spins her story, often repeating lies so many times that they seem like fact (and picked up by media outlets coast to coast), the real story is waiting to be told.
Thankfully, the wait is almost over. So, for those who make it a habit to pick the lowest hanging fruit, the easy sound bite, in order to prey on people like me who are trying to rebuild their lives and meet their obligations, shame on you.
Yes, I screwed up, admitted it, and served my time. Whereas Shawna, who thought I’d be an easy target, will have an opportunity to address her own mistakes to a higher authority than just the court of public opinion. I’m sure even her own brother, who suffered the same fate as me at her hand, will be standing by to watch the verdict.
We thank Tim for taking the time to address this issue and are looking forward to finding out the results in the near future.
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