TOLEDO (WTOL) - News 11 has learned former University of Toledo basketball player Sammy Villegas has been charged with a point-shaving scheme.
Villegas was a guard (#24) for the rockets. His best season was the 2003-04 season his sophomore year.
The charges were filed in federal court in Detroit on June 30, but the papers were sealed. They have just recently been made available. He has been charged with conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery. They include manipulating the point spread in UT men's basketball games from December 2004 to March of 2006. The papers allege he agreed to shave point so others could place bets on the games.
Specific games are under investigation including one where Villegas may have deliberately missed two free throws. For more details, watch the clip of Jonathon Walsh's live report: Former UT player charged with point shaving.
The papers allege he accepted money and other things of value. Also that he tried to recruit other UT basketball players into the scheme.
The case has been assigned to a judge in federal court in Detroit.
Here is a link to the UT men's basketball schedule and results for the 2003-04 season and the 2004-05 season.
