FBI Sports Bribery Program


March 29, 2012

While fans are focused on the NCAA basketball championships, the FBI continues to combat criminal activity in the sports industry.


Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: While fans are focused on the NCAA basketball championships, the FBI continues to combat criminal activity in the sports industry. 

I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau, and this is FBI, This Week.The FBI investigates illegal gambling and corruption in the sports industry. In many cases, college athletes, referees, and others associated with inside information about a team are targeted by the Mafia, also known as La Cosa Nostra. Section Chief Thomas Metz of the Organized Crime Section…

Metz: If they can bribe just one player enough to where his or her actions can affect the outcome of the game—or even just the point spread—the Mafia or organized crime stands to make potentially hundreds of millions of dollars off of one game.

Halpern: The FBI partners with the NCAA to present educational programs to college athletes throughout the season. Supervisory Special Agent Charles Johnston…

Johnston: We talk about the value of insider information and how the soft sell is often used by these organized crime figures. They’ll start befriending you, paying your cell phone bill just to get you hooked in.

Halpern: For more information visit www.fbi.gov

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