Netflix trailer for documentary on Tim Donaghy scandal confirms the ex-referee’s involvement

Donaghy is in the trailer for Netflix’s “Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul.”

You don’t need me to tell you the story of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who infamously fixed games as part of a gambling scandal uncovered by the FBI.

It’s been told countless times, even by Donaghy himself, who was released from prison in 2009 after serving most of a 15-month sentence. And it’s going to be told again in a Netflix documentary coming out August 30. The trailer for that documentary was released Monday, confirming Donaghy’s involvement in Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul.

That’s right. The guy who illegally made thousands of dollars is probably getting paid legally to tell the story about how he made that illegal money. Check it out:

Hey, what can I say? The people who do the grimiest things often have the stories that attract us the most. And when it involves organized crime and illegal gambling, that’s almost a guaranteed hit.

Seriously though, for someone like myself, who didn’t read Donaghy’s 2009 book Personal Foul, this documentary could make for an interesting account of what happened – it even appears to involve his co-conspirators. If this is just Donaghy seeking redemption and forgiveness, then miss me. But if he’s truly honest and upfront, I’m here for it.

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The “Whistleblower” podcast begins with …

The “Whistleblower” podcast begins with a truism about most competitive sporting events: “Referees are supposed to be invisible. You shouldn’t know their names.” This podcast, created by Atlanta-based Tenderfoot TV, hones in on NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who became headline news, pleading guilty in 2007 to two federal charges of gambling on games he officiated and spending 13 months in prison.

The NBA, roiling from the scandal, …

The NBA, roiling from the scandal, castigated him as a lone wolf, a rogue official. Once he was punished and outrage died down, the league and fans moved on. But journalist Tim Livingston in 2012 was intrigued by Donaghy’s insistence that corruption in the league ran far deeper than just him. Donaghy claimed NBA executives directed referees “to manipulate games” to “boost ticket sales and television ratings,” according to a letter he wrote to Brooklyn’s United States District Court in 2008.

This new podcast series features a …