2 enter pleas in point shaving case

DETROIT (AP) - A man at the center of an alleged scheme to fix the outcome of Florida horse races and University of Toledo football and basketball games was ordered Monday to stay away from gambling, even lottery tickets, as his cases move through court.

Ghazi "Gary" Manni, 52, of Sterling Heights, Mich., is charged with conspiring with now-former Toledo basketball and football players to shave points from fall 2004 through 2006. Authorities say he and co-defendant Mitchell Karam bet $407,000 on basketball games.

In a separate case, Manni is charged in conspiring with Karam and jockey Ricardo Valdes to fix races, mostly at Tampa Bay Downs, from December 2005 through 2006.

"He's going to fight" the charges, defense lawyer Neil Fink said after Manni's first appearance in federal court in Detroit.

Manni, who has pleaded not guilty, is barred from casinos and racetracks and cannot sell or buy lottery tickets.

"I just don't think it would be a good idea," U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia Morgan said.

A total of seven Toledo players are charged in the gambling case.

One of them, 25-year-old Anton Currie, who last played basketball at Toledo in 2005-06, also appeared in court Monday. He also has pleaded not guilty.

No details have been released about what Manni is alleged to have given the players or the jockey. He and Currie were released on $10,000 bond.

former basketball player Kashif Payne and Karam, 76, of Troy, Mich., will appear in US District Court Tuesday on similar charges.

Harvey "Scooter" McDougle and Quinton Broussard will appear in federal court on Wednesday.

Federal authorities could start extradition proceedings for Cuomo, who lives in Ontario, Canada.

Former basketball player Sammy Villegas, who is allegedly involved in the point-shaving scheme, will be sentenced June 18 in Detroit. Federal prosecutors charged Villegas of felony conspiracy to influence a sporting contest by bribery.

If convicted, the student-athletes could each face up to five years behind bars and $250,000 in fines. Manni, Karam and Valdez could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud.