DETROIT, March 21 (UPI) -- A federal grand jury Thursday indicted a former University of Michigan booster for allegedly giving four basketball players $600,000 and engaging in illegal gambling and money laundering.
Eddie Martin, 68, a retired Ford Motor Co. employee, was indicted along with his wife, Hilda, 72. Both are free on $10,000 bond. Also indicted was Clarence Malvo.
"He's a huge basketball fan and he helped some young players, some of whom are rich and famous now," defenst attorney William Mitchell III told the Detroit Free Press. He described Martin as "broken down."
Martin allegedly used money from an illegal lottery operation to make secret loans to basketball players, including Sacramento Kings power forward Chris Webber.
The indictment accuses Martin, his wife and Malvo of running a gambling business at Detroit auto plants between 1988 and October 1993. Wagers allegedly were faxed to the homes of both Martin and Malvo, generating thousands of dollars a day. They allegedly settled up with bettors once a week.
From that operation, Webber allegedly received $280,000. Other former Michigan players who allegedly received funds included Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock -- $160,000, $105,000 and $71,000, respectively.
