PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A lawyer for a Philadelphia-area gambler said that his client took advantage of an NBA referee's alleged game-fixing without having any tie to him.
Pete Ruggieri noticed that acquaintances were doing very well on games where Tim Donaghy was officiating, his lawyer, Christopher Warren, told the Philadelphia Daily News. Ruggieri has reportedly talked to federal investigators.
Donaghy grew up in the Philadelphia area and went to Villanova University. Warren said that Ruggieri knew him.
"Pete never had any gambling connection to Donaghy whatsoever," he said. "All of these allegations that Pete used to place bets for Donaghy is based on hearsay and innuendo. It's not even remotely close to being a fact."
Donaghy, now living in Florida, resigned from the NBA as the gambling scandal unfolded.
Ruggieri, in a conversation with his lawyer while a Daily News reporter was in Warren's office, said that he wants to be left alone and is sick of reporters gathering outside his house in Glen Mills.
