The NCAA News - News and Features

December 15, 1997

Two former players plead guilty in gambling conspiracy probe

Two former Arizona State University basketball players pleaded guilty to charges that they conspired with bookmakers to fix four Sun Devil games in 1994, and the FBI announced indictments December 5 against four men it alleged are involved in the case.

Arizona State's second-leading career scorer, Stevin "Hedake" Smith, 29, and teammate Isaac Burton Jr., 26, admitted to federal prosecutors in late November that they conspired to fix the games. They could face five years in prison and $250,000 fines.

Meanwhile, the FBI announced a 72-count indictment against four men accused of conspiring to fix games and said more indictments are expected.

"This is one of the most significant sports bribery conspiracies involving college athletes in the country, and I must stress the investigation is not over," Bruce Gephardt, head of the FBI's Phoenix, Arizona, office, told The Associated Press.

Indicted were Benny Silman, 26, of San Diego, a former partner in a cappuccino stand at America West Arena and a schoolmate of Smith; Joseph Gagliano Jr., 29, a Phoenix investment advisor; Dominic Mangiamele, 61, of Mount Prospect, Illinois; and his son, Joseph Mangiamele, 36, of Arlington Heights, Illinois.

The charges against them include sports bribery, conspiracy to commit sports bribery, interstate transportation and aid of racketeering. The Mangiameles were arrested December 4. Authorities said arrangements were made for Silman and Gagliano to surrender through their attorneys. Arraignment was set for December 17.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Lodge said Smith agreed to fix the games for $20,000 a game. He said Smith owed $10,000 to a bookmaker, and agreed with that bookmaker to keep the Sun Devils' victory margin to less than the point spread set by oddsmakers in each of the games, in return for having the debt erased.

Burton helped fix two games and was paid at least $4,300, authorities said.

The FBI's Gephardt said his agency has no evidence that players or coaches other than Smith and Burton were involved in the scheme.

William S. Saum, NCAA agent and gambling representative II, told media representatives during a December 5 news conference at Arizona State that the Association has received no information that the institution "knew or should have known" about the fixed games.

Arizona State athletics director Kevin White also discussed the actions during the news conference.

"This is a difficult day for Arizona State University, but we will move forward,'' White said. He pledged the school will make an effort to teach athletes about the dangers of sports gambling.

After the pleas were announced, Burton was suspended indefinitely from the Continental Basketball Association, where he has been playing for the Quad City Thunder. A final decision on his status will be made after league officials review the case.

No court date was set for the players.

Smith has been playing pro basketball in France.

Gephardt said Smith and Burton likely would receive a lighter sentence in return for testimony against others in the case. Sentencing was postponed pending prosecution of the others.

Potential penalties for the four others on the 72 counts could total hundreds of years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.