Report: Donaghy apologizes for scandal

NEW YORK, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy apologized for being involved in a betting scandal.

He surrendered to authorities Wednesday and pleaded guilty to charges connected to wagering on games he officiated.

After his arrest, Donaghy entered a guilty plea to felony charges of conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting gambling information through interstate commerce.

"I'm very sorry about what happened," Donaghy told the New York Daily News. “I'm not going to say anything beyond that. This is an ongoing case -- I can't say anything else."

He admitted using special codes to communicate with cronies James Battista and Thomas Martino.

"I was in a unique position to pick the outcome of NBA games," said in court. "I received cash payments for successful picks."

Donaghy is free on a $250,000 bond, with sentencing set for Nov. 9.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison -- 20 years for the first charge and five for the second.