NBA referee Tim Donaghy Accused of Betting Fears for his Safety (Witness Protection Program?)

Tainted referee receiving some bad calls of his own …

As reported last week, ex-NBA referee Tim Donaghy is being investigated by the FBI for betting and possibly point shaving basketball games that he reffed. Now it appears that he fears for his safety as he is reportedly receiving threatening phone calls. One would think that Donaghy is in way over his head and helping the investigation.  Can the witness protection program be far away?

“Our concern is for his safety and his family’s safety,” Sheriff’s Lt. Robert McNealy told the newspaper for a story in Monday’s editions. “We are definitely going to share any information we get with the FBI.”

The Donaghy’s family is even urging him to enter the federal witness-protection program, according to one friend interviewed in The New York Post.

“They think he will be killed if he goes to prison, or even if he doesn’t, just because he’s probably talking, cooperating, and that’s ratting on the mob,” the friend said. “I don’t think [the Mafia] would take that very well.

I guess this is the ultimate outcome when one works with the mob to try to may off a gambling debt.

[Relatives] are very concerned for his safety,” the friend added. “I think they knew something serious was going on, but not like this, not this big, whole life-or-death issue with the Mafia. I mean, it’s the Gambinos.”

Mealy declined to reveal more details of the threats against Donaghy, who is being investigated by federal authorities for allegedly working with mobsters tied to the Gambino crime family to fix the scores of NBA games to pay off his gambling debts. (Fox News)