BuffalOhio Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Busted EWING, N.J. - Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet financed a nationwide sports gambling ring in which about a half dozen current NHL players placed bets, authorities said Tuesday. Tocchet, a former NHL star, was served with a criminal complaint Monday and was expected to travel from his Arizona home to answer charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy, state police Col. Rick Fuentes said. Fuentes said an investigation into the New Jersey-based ring discovered the processing of more than 1,000 wagers, exceeding $1.7 million, on professional and college sports, mostly football and basketball. He declined to identify the NHL players who made wagers, but said none bet on hockey. Authorities said Tocchet and state police Trooper James J. Harney were partners in the operation, with the ex-NHL forward providing the financing. "Tocchet received illegal sports bets from wagers and funneled money back to New Jersey," Fuentes said. Messages left with the Coyotes were not immediately returned. The Coyotes were home Tuesday night against Chicago. Tocchet, one of three associate coaches on the Coyotes' staff, took over the head coaching duties for 10 days in December while Wayne Gretzky was away to be with his dying mother. The 41-year-old Tocchet played 18 years with six teams, including three seasons with the Coyotes from 1997-00. He spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers, from 1984-92 and again in 2001-02. He is one of only two players in NHL history to collect 400 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes during his career. Harney, 40, was arrested Monday and has been suspended from the force. The eight-year police veteran was charged in an arrest warrant with official misconduct, promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy. Another man accused of taking bets is James A. Ulmer, 40, who was charged with promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy. Both men were free after posting 10 percent of their bail. Harney had $100,000 bail; Ulmer had $50,000 bail. The two men were expected to be arraigned in state Superior Court in Burlington County within two weeks. The state police investigation into the ring started in October 2005 after authorities received a tip on Harney's sports wagering activities from his New Jersey home, and taking phone calls during his patrol job based out of the agency's Moorestown station, Fuentes said. "We used another trooper acting in an undercover capacity to place a bet with Harney," Fuentes said. Once Harney took the bait, the investigation was under way, he said. Over the course of the investigation, state police found wagers placed by about half a dozen current NHL players and from someone Fuentes described as a "movie celebrity," all of whom have been interviewed as part of the investigation. Fuentes did not disclose their names, saying the investigation was ongoing. Fuentes said the hockey players bet on football and basketball games, not hockey. The gambling ring had a connection with organized crime in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, Fuentes said. He said charges against more individuals were possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeleslyobvious Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 I wonder who the players were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 I wonder who the players were. They're proabably all Coyotes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 They're proabably all Coyotes. I'm sure gretzky will find a way to weasle out of any wrongdoings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeleslyobvious Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Using NHL logic there must be some sort of mistake. Tocchet was hired by Gretzky, therefore he must be of the highest character. Otherwise it would be a mistake for Gretzky to hire him, and Gretzky does not make mistakes (nor does he send an enforcer out to fight in the last 5 minutes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffalOhio Posted February 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Janet Jones Accused Gretzky's hot wife is accused now, too. This is gonna get ugly. I hope no Sabres are involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Janet Jones Accused Gretzky's hot wife is accused now, too. This is gonna get ugly. I hope no Sabres are involved. Dude, she has not been "hot" since the Police Academy sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JujuFish Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Using NHL logic there must be some sort of mistake. Tocchet was hired by Gretzky, therefore he must be of the highest character. Otherwise it would be a mistake for Gretzky to hire him, and Gretzky does not make mistakes (nor does he send an enforcer out to fight in the last 5 minutes). But even Gretzky is no Chuck Norris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Dude, she has not been "hot" since the Police Academy sequel. I don't know how old you are or who you wake up next to every morning but I'm pretty sure most guys in their mid forties wouldn't mind waking up to Janet every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRH Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Using NHL logic there must be some sort of mistake. Tocchet was hired by Gretzky, therefore he must be of the highest character. Otherwise it would be a mistake for Gretzky to hire him, and Gretzky does not make mistakes (nor does he send an enforcer out to fight in the last 5 minutes). That's right. And if Gretzky says it was a good goal, then it was a good goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 I just read an article that mentioned Jeremy Roenick and Travis Green as two of the players who placed bets. That backs up my earlier post about them all being Coyotes players (past or present). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeleslyobvious Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 I just read an article that mentioned Jeremy Roenick and Travis Green as two of the players who placed bets. That backs up my earlier post about them all being Coyotes players (past or present). You're probably right, but there are still 4 unnamed players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 You're probably right, but there are still 4 unnamed players. Didn't Briere play with the 'Yotes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Janet Jones Accused Gretzky's hot wife is accused now, too. This is gonna get ugly. I hope no Sabres are involved. I was trying to tell my co-workers how big this is going to be. None of them wanted to hear it. Professional coaches CAN'T bet on sports, especially when the freaking MOB is invloved. Where does the line get drawn? One day you a placing $1000 bets, soon enough you are 50 large in the hole and you are trying to figure out how you can recoup the difference. Hmmm...I can't see where that would be a problem. A NHL coach with his nuts in a vice to the mob. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 You're probably right, but there are still 4 unnamed players. And I expect them all to be former or current Coyotes. If that's the case, it's probably a good thing. It means that this isn't as widespread as some people would like to think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber61 Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 ugh... ugly situation all way around... ugly for everyone involved... hopefully briere isn't involved... im pretty sure he wouldn't be... doesn't seem like him to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_toddkaz Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Okay so i saw 2 morons post bringing up Briere's name???? Who does that? try to bring him down??? And Gretzky? I know you guys hate him but i don't think a canadian icon is going to stop the FBI nobody does....well except for the CIA. Their was over 20 plasma TV's found they say 2 in Tocchet's Bathtub and over 1.7 Million dollars wagered. Looks like they were cleaning people out. I hope their is still a NHL after the FBI is done with them. I guess Tocchet should get his tickets to Britian while he can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffalOhio Posted February 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Dude, she has not been "hot" since the Police Academy sequel. You'd still do her, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTS Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Is this really big story? I for one don't care. Unless he's accused of "fixing" games, I won't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Okay so i saw 2 morons post bringing up Briere's name???? Who does that? try to bring him down??? And Gretzky? I know you guys hate him but i don't think a canadian icon is going to stop the FBI nobody does....well except for the CIA. Their was over 20 plasma TV's found they say 2 in Tocchet's Bathtub and over 1.7 Million dollars wagered. Looks like they were cleaning people out. I hope their is still a NHL after the FBI is done with them. I guess Tocchet should get his tickets to Britian while he can Seriously, WTF is your problem? Up to this point I've managed to tolerate and even go as far as try to understand your point of view. Calling someone a moron because he brings up a player who may have played with/coached by a current FBI investigatee. Who the F*ck hates wayne gretzky? He is the face of hockey. I will always admire and respect him. I think what people dislike is how wierd and defensive people like you get when it comes to him. He's the great one. He is not "the one". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHAAAUGHT!!! Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Who the F*ck hates wayne gretzky? He is the face of hockey. I will always admire and respect him. I think what people dislike is how wierd and defensive people like you get when it comes to him. He's the great one. He is not "the one". I hate gretzky. Of course he was one of the very best to play the game, but that doesn't change the facts he is a whiney, pompous, little b!tch. I loved watching him skate and shoot, but it drove me nuts how he reacted when he recieved a solid check from somebody. So sorry you make celion dion look buff, but you don't see Derek Roy or Daniel Briere complain to the refs and talk trash while skating away or from behind a 220 enforcer. They will get in the guys face and hit back. And I don't think I need to mention the no goal comments.... The most talented player ever, most likely; still hate him though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 oh. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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