When Will Sports Confront Gambling Problems of Its Own Athletes?

Around the globe, sports has been mired in match-fixing, illegal gambling and corruption.

The U.S. has ignored the problem, concealed Gambling Addiction, while presently targeting DRUGS. No programs exist. No scrutiny exists. 



BASEBALL is worried about performance-enhancing drugs. What about gambling !

Friday, August 09, 2013

By Arnie Wexler CCGC

 

When Will Sports Confront Gambling Problems of Its Own Athletes?

Athletes may be more vulnerable than the general population when you look at the soft signs of compulsive gambling: high Levels of energy; unreasonable expectations of winning; very competitive personalities; distorted optimism; and bright with high IQs

It is time for college and professional sports to outline and executive a real program to help players who might have a gambling problem or gambling addiction problem. Yet college and professional sports still do not want to deal with this. They do not want the media and public to think there is a problem.

Years ago, as a compulsive-gamblers counselor, I was sent an airplane ticket from the National Basketball Association office in Manhattan and met with league officials, players and union officials, concerned about players’ gambling. I was told, “We have a problem, and we’re trying to find out how bad the problem is.” Officials asked me to keep my calendar open for the spring of the following year and said to me that they hoped that I might address every team in the league.

When I hadn’t heard from the NBA, I called and asked, “When do we start?” The talked were cancelled, and the response I got was this: “They said that the higher-ups didn’t want the media to find out.”

And over the years, I have spoken to many college and professional athletes who had a gambling problem. One NCAA study a few years ago reported: “There is a disturbing trend of gambling among athletes in college.” You can’t think that these people will get into the pros and then just stop gambling.

Compulsive gambling is an addiction just like alcoholism and chemical dependency, and all three diseases are recognized by the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and statistical manual.

 

Nevertheless, we treat compulsive gambling differently than the other two addictions. Society and professional sports treat people with chemical dependency and alcoholism as sick persons, send them to treatment and get them back to work. Sports looks at compulsive gamblers as bad people and gets barred them from playing in professional sports.

If colleges and professional leagues wanted to help the players, they would run real programs that seriously address the issue of gambling and compulsive gambling. Education and early detection can make a difference between life and death for some people who have or will end up with a gambling addiction.

One sports insider said to me: “Teams need to have a real program for players, coaches and referees, and they need to let somebody else run it. When you do it in-house, it’s like the fox running the chicken coop. You must be kidding yourself if you think any player, coach or referee is going to call the league and say, ‘I’ve got a gambling problem, and I need help.’ ”

When you look at the headlines about professional athletes, coaches and referees on the perils of gambling, odds are very good that might be looking at the tip of the iceberg. Here are several from the recent past:

A few years ago Investigators from Major League Baseball are trying to arrange a date to meet with Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez to discuss allegations that he participated in illegal poker games, according to a report by ESPN.com. And its not the 1st time

= Pete Rose [on the Donahue show, November 1989]: “I didn’t seek help for my gambling problem until the middle of September, and I know it’s something I can’t lick by myself. I need help.”

= Charles Barkley troubled by gambling addiction problem.

= Dolphins’ Will Allen investigated for pulling out gun in dispute over gambling debts.

= Antoine Walker has a scheduled court in Las Vegas in a case involving an $822,500 gambling debt.



 

= An arrest warrant for Shawn Chacon as a result of his alleged failure to pay Caesars Palace $150,000 in gambling markers.

= John Daly says gambling problem will “ruin me” and says he has lost between $50 million and $60 million during 12 years of heavy gambling .
 

= Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko was at the center of the match-fixing controversy in tennis.

= Michael Jordan was spotted at the baccarat pit of an Atlantic City casino in the wee hours of the morning before game two of the Eastern Conference Finals.

= Art Schlichter spent a decade in prison: “Ten years, seven months and two weeks, inside 44 various jails or prisons” because of gambling addiction.

= NBA referee Tim Donaghy is now in recovery for his gambling addiction. (From Tim Donaghy’s book if ever released: “I kept waiting for a Knicks game when Stafford, Bavetta and Kersey were working together. It was like knowing the winning lottery numbers before the drawing!”)

= March 1991: Lenny Dykstra, a notorious high-stakes bettor, was linked to a gambling probe in Mississippi. Dykstra was indicted in May on federal bankruptcy charges for allegedly removing, destroying and selling property that was part of a bankruptcy estate without the permission of the trustee.

= Paul Lo Duca says he bets with off-shore bookies, which, he claims, is legal. Running up big gambling debts — or even being perceived as a heavy gambler — leads to serious trouble. (What’s interesting about is that neither Major League Baseball nor the Mets seem bothered about the reports. Oh, the commissioner’s office mumbled something about gambling being bad.)

And for some its to late — Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley
had a gambling problem and was deep in debt when he commited suicide

There are people in various sport’s halls of fame who are convicted drug addicts and alcoholics, yet compulsive gamblers are unable to get into these halls of fame. In fact, as far as professional sports goes, an alcoholic and chemical dependent person can get multiple chances, whereas a gambler cannot.

I am a recovering compulsive gambler who placed my last bet on April, 10, 1968, and I have been fighting the injustice of how sports, society and the judicial system deal with compulsive gamblers for the last 45 years.

I run a national help line: 1-888-LAST BET.

Arnie Wexler ( aswexler@aol.com)
Arnie & Sheila Wexler Associates
LAKE WORTH FL 33463
Office #: 561-249 0922
Cell#: 954-501-5270
Arnie Wexler
Arnie & Sheila Wexler Associates
Lake Worth FL

Arnie & Sheila Wexler Associates

Lake Worth, FL

561-249-0922

http://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=47022

 

 

Art Schlichter: The High Cost of Addiction

 

10-plus years prison term for ex-NFL, Ohio St QB

Published May 04, 2012

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The painful saga of ex-Ohio State and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Art Schlichter came to a close Friday when a federal judge sentenced him to nearly 11 years in prison for scamming participants in what authorities called a million-dollar sports ticket scheme.

Schlichter, 52, had been down this road before, spending time in prison in Indiana related to his gambling addiction, which he claimed to have overcome. But he continued to struggle, by his own admission, and his stumbles included testing positive for cocaine use while on house arrest following his guilty plea in the ticket case.

The 127-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson in Columbus reflects both punishment for the ticket scheme and time for violating probation from Schlichter's 1997 forgery and theft conviction in Indiana.

Schlichter's original plea deal last year in federal court called for him to serve eight years in prison, to run at the same time as a 10-year state prison sentence on related charges.

But Marion Superior Court Judge Grant Hawkins in Indianapolis refused to cancel Schlichter's arrest warrant in Indiana until the extra time was added.

The new deal, which Schlichter agreed to in the fall, increased the federal time by 27 months. Watson signed off on the deal Friday before sentencing Schlichter.

Watson opened the hearing by telling Schlichter he was the perfect candidate for receiving maximum consecutive sentences, and then proceeded to detail over several minutes all of Schlichter's past convictions and sentences. He called Schlichter's criminal history shameful and predatory.

Assuming Schlichter earns federal good-time behavior credit, he'll serve just over nine years in federal prison, compared with just over seven under the original deal.

He'll still have a few months left on his state prison term at that point, although he'll also receive credit for jail time since his February arrest.

When Schlichter's turn came to speak, Watson forced him to turn around and address victims of the scam, as well as his mother, Mila Schlichter. He apologized tearfully.

State and federal authorities say Schlichter, whose NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction, promised college and NFL game tickets, including the Super Bowl, but never delivered despite receiving thousands of dollars in payments.

"Schlichter did not have connections through which he could get tickets at unusually low prices, and he did not use the money that people gave to him to buy tickets or to invest in a ticket-resale business for either purpose," federal prosecutors said in a statement. "Schlichter instead spent the money on personal expenses, gambled with it, or used it to repay older debts."

Schlichter's road to Friday's sentencing was as bumpy as his playing career.

After pleading guilty in the fall, Schlichter stayed free on house arrest pending sentencing and was allowed to attend weekly counseling.

But in January, Schlichter was arrested after twice testing positive for cocaine and by refusing several times to provide urine samples. Watson postponed his sentencing and gave Schlichter more time to have his mental health assessed.

Schlichter has asked for prison drug abuse counseling once he's sentenced.

Last month, Schlichter signed paperwork allowing his brain and spinal cord to be donated for Boston University for research on traumatic injuries, his federal public attorney, Steve Nolder, told the court.

Doctors have diagnosed several brain impairments that Schlichter suffered from 14 or 15 concussions in high school and college, Nolder said. Research is increasingly indicating that such injuries could explain Schlichter's impulsive behavior, flawed judgment and continual misbehavior, Nolder said.

One of Schlichter's victims in the ticket scheme was the widow of a former Wendy's Co. president, whose attorney said last year she had been ruined by Schlichter. Anita Barney's homes are being foreclosed and her only income is from Social Security, attorney William Loveland said.
Schlichter has said he is ashamed of his addiction.

A federal bankruptcy filing by Barney last month listed a $2.3 million claim against Schlichter for fraud, embezzlement, theft and restitution.

Schlichter played at Ohio State between 1978 and 1981 and in the NFL for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills. His later went to prison for gambling-related crimes.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/04/10-plus-years-prison-term-for-ex-nfl-ohio-st-qb/#ixzz1u0X2Yjvm

Ex-NFL & Ohio State Quarterback Art Schlichter Sentenced to 10+ Years in Sports Ticket Scheme

By Julie Kent. Published on 05/04/2012

 

Art Schlichter to spend the next decade in prison
NBCSports.com
Schlichter has always maintained that his uncontrollable gambling addiction was to blame for the crimes he committed, and that he gambled away all the money he has swindled from people through the years, starting during his days as a star at Ohio State ...

 

Ex-QB Schlichter sentenced to over 10 years in prison for ticket scheme
CBSSports.com
State and federal authorities say Schlichter, whose NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction, promised college and NFL game tickets, including the Super Bowl, but never delivered despite receiving thousands of dollars in payments.

Art Schlichter sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison
National Football Post
The 52-year-old Schlichter had his playing career derailed by a gambling addiction and he's no stranger to a cell. He has state and federal charges and with good behavior he could be on the street in a little more than nine years.

 

Ex-NFL & Ohio State Quarterback Art Schlichter Sentenced to 10+ Years in ...
Cleveland Leader
He has spent time in an Indiana prison in the past for a gambling addiction, which he claimed to have overcome. His struggles continued, and yet another slip-up was testing positive for cocaine use while on house arrest after pleading guilty in the ...

 

Latest Ohio news, sports, business and entertainment
WJTV
Schlichter's NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction. State and federal authorities say he promised college and NFL game tickets, including the Super Bowl, but never delivered despite receiving thousands of dollars in payments. NASHVILLE, Tenn.

 

 

 

Warrant: Ex-NFL QB Schlichter violated bond rules

Warrant: Ex-NFL QB Schlichter violated bond rules
By Andrew Welsh-Huggins
Associated Press


COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ex-Ohio State and NFL quarterback Art Schlichter violated his bond conditions in a fraud case by twice testing positive for cocaine and by refusing several times to provide urine samples, according to a federal probation officer.

The former star, whose NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction, made a brief court appearance Thursday following his arrest at his central Ohio residence a day earlier.


A U.S. magistrate judge outlined the allegations for Schlichter, who said he understood the charges but didn't say anything else.

Just two days ago, in asking for permission for Schlichter to see a doctor, public defender Steve Nolder wrote in a court filing, "Since his release, Schlichter has assiduously complied with the stringent conditions of his pretrial supervision that are in place."

Schlichter, 51, pleaded guilty last year to federal fraud charges stemming from a million-dollar ticket scheme. Plea agreements that call for him to serve about 10 years behind bars still need a judge's approval.

He will serve part of his prison time for violating probation in Indiana on 1997 forgery and theft convictions in that state.

Tests done Dec. 19 and Jan. 3 showed Schlichter tested positive for cocaine, and Schlichter failed to submit to urine tests "on multiple occasions" between Nov. 9 and Jan. 13, according to a petition filed in federal court Wednesday by Julie Schram, U.S. Pretrial Services/Probation Officer.

Authorities say the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback whose NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction defrauded more than 50 people in the ticket scheme that began in 2008.

They say he stole thousands of dollars from people who gave him money for Ohio State football and basketball games and NFL games.

Authorities say that Schlichter never had the tickets he promised to deliver and that he gambled the money and used it to pay off debts.

Schlichter was placed on house arrest in suburban Columbus after his guilty plea in October. Since that time, he has attended court-ordered gambling addiction counseling and 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, according to court records.

On Nov. 25, Nolder said it appeared that Schlichter "would benefit from another 12-step meeting per week," according to court records, a request granted by a U.S. District Court judge three days later.



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/19/warrant-ex-nfl-qb-schlichter-violated-bond-rules/#ixzz1kDLO0h1T

SCHLICHTER CAN’T STAY OUT OF JAIL

SCHLICHTER CAN’T STAY OUT OF JAIL

By the time Art Schlichter turns 60 years old he will have spent one-third of his life in prison and another third in various courtrooms trying to stay out of jail.

Schlichter’s problem isn’t just that he can’t stop gambling. His problem is that he can’t stop being a lousy gambler.

Thursday, the former Ohio State star quarterback — already under house arrest while waiting to start a 10-year jail term — was arrested after his probation officer reported he had violated his bond conditions when he twice tested positive for cocaine.

Schlichter, now 51, is the prime example of how addictive gambling can derail a career and a life. He was the fourth pick in the 1982 NFL draft. But his gambling contributed to the loss of his football career when the NFL suspended him following the 1983 season.

Since then he has spent almost a dozen years in custody for various scams, thefts and frauds to feed his gambling addiction. A few years ago he went into 12-step programs for both gambling and substance abuse.

Apparently it’s not a good idea to whisper to the guy sitting in the next chair: “betcha a two-four I can get to step 10 before you.” Who knew?

Not Art, apparently, Anyway that didn’t work either.

Last year he pleaded guilty to swindling 50 people out of $2.5 million as part of a scheme to sell fake tickets to sporting events, then gambling away the money he stole.

He was under house arrest awaiting a judge’s approval of a plea agreement that calls for him to serve about 10 years behind bars when the cops again showed up.

Art Schlichter: Ex-Ohio State Star a Troubling Portrait of Gambling Addiction

Art Schlichter: Ex-Ohio State Star a Troubling Portrait of Gambling Addiction

Roughly three decades ago, Art Schlichter had it all. After a decorated stint as the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Schlichter was the fourth overall pick of the Baltimore Colts in the 1982 NFL Draft, and the door was open to a very promising career, not to mention a very lucrative one.

It didn't pan out that way. Schlichter's pro career failed to develop, and he ended up gambling away what money he made. Before long, he was out of football. Shortly thereafter, Schlichter was in prison.

According to the Associated Press on Wednesday, it won't be long before Schlichter is in prison again. He is facing federal charges of bank and wire fraud and of filing a false tax return after being arrested earlier this year, and he stands to serve as many as 10 years in prison.

These charges were brought on by a scam Schlichter ran in which he promised to use his contacts to get sports tickets at low prices. Most of these tickets were for Ohio State football and NFL games, and Schlichter ended up pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The only problem was that Schlichter didn't have contacts, and he used the money he got for personal expenses and for gambling purposes.

At this point, Schlichter is pretty much a walking testament to the fact that a gambling habit is indeed a habit. He supposedly started gambling when he was in college, and he just was never able to stop once he got started. He even gambled in prison.

To be sure, Schlichter is not the only infamous gambler the sports world has ever known. Pete Rose is the poster boy for gambling pariahs, and NBA greats like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley will forever be known for their own gambling tendencies.

The difference with Schlichter, though, is that his gambling addiction destroyed his career, and at this point, it's fair to say that it has destroyed his life as well. Try as he might, he just couldn't stop, and he had to cross whatever lines he could in order to feed it.

For the casual sports fan, there's really not much that can be said about all this. No doubt some will still freely mock Schlichter for being one of the great busts in NFL history, but that is a petty concern next to the destruction Schlichter's addiction has wrought on his life.

One hopes that Schlichter can successfully be rehabilitated. But even if that is impossible, one hopes that people, especially young professional athletes, will take note of Schlichter's story. It is, in every sense of the term, a cautionary tale.

Art Schlichter sentenced for ticket scam

Former Ohio State football star sentenced for ticket scam
By Jim Leckrone
COLUMBUS, Ohio

(Reuters) - Art Schlichter, a former Ohio State star whose professional football career was cut short by gambling problems, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for a sports ticket scam, officials said on Friday.

Schlichter, 51, pleaded guilty on Thursday to 13 felony counts, including 12 theft-related offenses and a racketeering charge, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Ron O'Brien said.

Schlichter admitted to stealing more than $1 million from his victims by promising to use their money to obtain tickets to Ohio State football games, the Super Bowl and other sporting events. But he never got the tickets and instead used the money to finance his gambling.

One of his victims was Anita Barney, the 69-year-old widow of Robert Barney, the former chairman of the Wendy's hamburger chain who died in 2007.

Schlichter, who has been in county jail pending court action, has also entered a plea agreement in a federal case, and was expected to formally plead guilty at a later date, according to Steven Nolder, his federal public defender.

"This has been the last chapter of a tragic story," Nolder said.

Schlichter was expected to be released from prison while waiting for the imposition of the federal sentence, Nolder said. His release could take place next week, once authorities set up an electronic monitoring system to keep track of his movements.

Schlichter's state sentence will run concurrently with his federal sentence, which under the agreement is eight years and four months. He will start his term in federal prison, and it is possible he could be released after the federal term is up, Nolder said.

Nolder said he hoped the federal prison would provide a program "to help Art recover" from his gambling addiction.

"This is one of those cases where everyone walks away a loser," Nolder said.

Schlichter has had a long history of career and legal troubles related to gambling. He served 12 years in prison for engaging in forgery and fraud to support his addiction.

A quarterback at Ohio State, Schlichter was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1982, where he was in frequent trouble due to gambling. He was picked up by the Buffalo Bills in 1986, but was cut before the season began.

(Writing by Mary Wisniewski; Additional reporting by Jim Leckrone; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)

GAMBLING and Athletes what a mix !!

ALEX RODRIGUEZ - Here we go again GAMBLING and Athletes what a mix !!
Lake Worth, FL
By Arnie Wexler CCGC

When Will Sports Confront Gambling Problems of Its Own Athletes?

Athletes may be more vulnerable than the general population when you look at the soft signs of compulsive gambling: high Levels of energy; unreasonable expectations of winning; very competitive personalities; distorted optimism; and bright with high IQs

It is time for college and professional sports to outline and executive a real program to help players who might have a gambling problem or gambling addiction problem. Yet college and professional sports still do not want to deal with this. They do not want the media and public to think there is a problem.

TWELVE years ago, as a compulsive-gamblers counselor, I was sent an airplane ticket from the National Basketball Association office in Manhattan and met with league officials, players and union officials, concerned about players' gambling. I was told, "We have a problem, and we're trying to find out how bad the problem is." Officials asked me to keep my calendar open for the spring of the following year and said to me that they hoped that I might address every team in the league.

When I hadn't heard from the NBA, I called and asked, "When do we start?" The talked were cancelled, and the response I got was this: "They said that the higher-ups didn't want the media to find out."

And over the years, I have spoken to many college and professional athletes who had a gambling problem. One NCAA study a few years ago reported: "There is a disturbing trend of gambling among athletes in college." You can't think that these people will get into the pros and then just stop gambling.

Compulsive gambling is an addiction just like alcoholism and chemical dependency, and all three diseases are recognized by the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic and statistical manual. Nevertheless, we treat compulsive gambling differently than the other two addictions. Society and professional sports treat people with chemical dependency and alcoholism as sick persons, send them to treatment and get them back to work. Sports looks at compulsive gamblers as bad people and gets barred them from playing in professional sports.

If colleges and professional leagues wanted to help the players, they would run real programs that seriously address the issue of gambling and compulsive gambling. Education and early detection can make a difference between life and death for some people who have or will end up with a gambling addiction.

One sports insider said to me: "Teams need to have a real program for players, coaches and referees, and they need to let somebody else run it. When you do it in-house, it's like the fox running the chicken coop. You must be kidding yourself if you think any player, coach or referee is going to call the league and say, 'I've got a gambling problem, and I need help.' "

When you look at the headlines about professional athletes, coaches and referees on the perils of gambling, odds are very good that might be looking at the tip of the iceberg. Here are several from the recent past:

Investigators from Major League Baseball are trying to arrange a date to meet with Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez to discuss allegations that he participated in illegal poker games, according to a report Thursday by ESPN.com. And its not the 1st time

= Pete Rose [on the Donahue show, November 1989]: "I didn't seek help for my gambling problem until the middle of September, and I know it's something I can't lick by myself. I need help."

= Charles Barkley troubled by gambling addiction problem.

= Dolphins' Will Allen investigated for pulling out gun in dispute over gambling debts.

= Antoine Walker has a scheduled court in Las Vegas in a case involving an $822,500 gambling debt.

= An arrest warrant for Shawn Chacon as a result of his alleged failure to pay Caesars Palace $150,000 in gambling markers.

= John Daly says gambling problem will "ruin me" and says he has lost between $50 million and $60 million during 12 years of heavy gambling .

= Russia's Nikolay Davydenko was at the center of the match-fixing controversy in tennis.

= Michael Jordan was spotted at the baccarat pit of an Atlantic City casino in the wee hours of the morning before game two of the Eastern Conference Finals.

= Art Schlichter spent a decade in prison: "Ten years, seven months and two weeks, inside 44 various jails or prisons" because of gambling addiction.

= NBA referee Tim Donaghy is now in recovery for his gambling addiction. (From Tim Donaghy's book if ever released: "I kept waiting for a Knicks game when Stafford, Bavetta and Kersey were working together. It was like knowing the winning lottery numbers before the drawing!")

= March 1991: Lenny Dykstra, a notorious high-stakes bettor, was linked to a gambling probe in Mississippi. Dykstra was indicted in May on federal bankruptcy charges for allegedly removing, destroying and selling property that was part of a bankruptcy estate without the permission of the trustee.

= Paul Lo Duca says he bets with off-shore bookies, which, he claims, is legal. Running up big gambling debts -- or even being perceived as a heavy gambler -- leads to serious trouble. (What's interesting about is that neither Major League Baseball nor the Mets seem bothered about the reports. Oh, the commissioner's office mumbled something about gambling being bad.)

And for some its to late --- Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley

had a gambling problem and was deep in debt when he commited suicide on Sept 21st

There are people in various sport's halls of fame who are convicted drug addicts and alcoholics, yet compulsive gamblers are unable to get into these halls of fame. In fact, as far as professional sports goes, an alcoholic and chemical dependent person can get multiple chances, whereas a gambler cannot.

I am a recovering compulsive gambler who placed my last bet on April, 10, 1968, and I have been fighting the injustice of how sports, society and the judicial system deal with compulsive gamblers for the last 43 years.

Schlichter, on his third attorney, is ruled indigent

Schlichter, on his third attorney, is ruled indigent
Move clears way to use public funds on defense; backers pay lawyer's bill
By John Futty The Columbus Dispatch

Former Ohio State University quarterback Art Schlichter was declared indigent yesterday by a Franklin County judge, making him eligible for public money to help his defense against felony charges in a sports-ticket scam.

His attorney, J. Scott Weisman, told Common Pleas Judge Tim Horton that he is being paid by supporters of Schlichter to handle the case. But he wanted to make sure that the court considered Schlichter indigent so public funds can be used to pay investigators or psychologists needed by the defense.

Horton agreed with a finding by the county public defender's office, which determined that Schlichter qualifies as an indigent defendant. He set a trial date for Nov. 7.

Schlichter, 51, is accused of swindling people out of more than $1 million, but investigators have said that the money is gone.

Weisman is Schlichter's third attorney since he surrendered to authorities in February. Sam Shamansky and Sam Weiner both tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a plea agreement with state and federal prosecutors.

The sticking point in the negotiations was a demand by Schlichter that he be released on bond to spend time with family and receive treatment for a gambling addiction before being sentenced to what is expected to be a lengthy prison term.

Schlichter was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury in April on 13 felony counts involving 12 victims. At the center of the case is Anita Barney, the widow of former Wendy's President and Chairman Robert Barney. Investigators said Schlichter swindled her out of at least $680,000 and persuaded her to ask friends and associates for money, promising to make them a profit by scalping tickets to Ohio State football games and the 2011 Super Bowl.

Schlichter was the Buckeyes' starting quarterback from 1978 to 1981 and was the fourth pick in the 1981 NFL draft. His professional career was derailed by a gambling addiction that got him suspended from the league in 1983.

Ex-Ohio St, NFL player gets $1M bond in theft case

Ex-Ohio St, NFL player gets $1M bond in theft case

Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Bond has been set at just over $1 million in a theft case against a former Ohio State and NFL player whose career was derailed by a gambling addiction.

Attorney Sam Shamansky says Art Schlichter (SHLEES'-tur) had hoped to be released from jail to get treatment for the addiction. Schlichter was charged in February with stealing more than $1 million from a Columbus-area woman by deceiving her about why he took the money.

The 50-year-old Schlichter spent 10 years in prison for gambling-related crimes. He played at Ohio State between 1978 and 1981and in the NFL for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills.

If Schlichter posts bond, he must remain on house arrest at his mother's home in Washington Court House in southwest Ohio. He also is not to have contact with the alleged victim.

Schlichter blames addiction

Schlichter blames addiction but never says ‘gambling’ in jail interview
By Mike Wagner
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

worth reading in its entirety, excerpt:


Shamansky, who was present for the interview, prevented Schlichter from answering questions related to the criminal investigation. But the attorney, who is handling the case for free, was even more explicit about Schlichter’s gambling addiction leading to more criminal charges.

“It’s all about this all-consuming addiction. It’s not like there was a lifestyle fueled with cars, houses, women and dope,” Shamansky said. “With this never-ending problem, you ask yourself, ‘Where is the bottom,’ and even after you spent years in prison, you still haven’t found it. You can’t get away from its pull; it never leaves you.”

One person affected by Schlichter’s current felony theft case, Anita Barney, 68, of Dublin, told The Dispatch two weeks ago that she lost nearly all her money to Schlichter. She said she had attempted to help him with a loan of $100,000 but eventually fell prey to a scam in which Schlichter used and intimidated her to solicit money from many of her friends and associates.

Art Schlichter: A common tale of Gambling Addiction

The tragic tale of Art Schlichter allows a close-up view of the insiduousness of the destruction of Gambling Addiction that afflicts so many.

Studies have proven that with proximity, Gambling Addiction increases.

Once a state, in this case the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, legalizes expanded gambling in the form of "Destination Resort Slot Barns," all residents of Massachusetts will be placed at greater risks that legislators so easily ignore.




Schlichter’s Arrest and a Harrowing Tale
By TONI MONKOVIC

“I had, and still have, an addiction. It’s a severe, severe addiction. It’s kind of like crack cocaine in that it takes away your soul and your character.”



Chapter One: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter
By TONI MONKOVIC


Ex-NFL Quarterback Schlichter Charged In $1M Theft
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter, whose NFL career was derailed by a gambling addiction, was charged Monday with stealing more than $1 million from a 68-year-old woman in suburban Columbus.

Schlichter, who played for Ohio State between 1978 and 1981, spent 10 years in prison for gambling-related crimes. He played for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills, and the Detroit and Cincinnati Arena League teams. The NFL has suspended him for life.

The Reality of Art Schlichter

The Gambling Addiction and personal destruction of Art Schlichter highlights the devastating consequences of this disease.

In the case of Art Schlichter, it allows a sharp focus on our inability to find effective treatments.


The Reality of Art Schlichter Raises It’s Ugly Head Yet Again
by Annapolisbuckeye on February 9, 2011

“God, I’m tired. I’m tired of prison. I’m tired of being shackled and chained. I’m tired of being told what to do and when to do it. And most of all, I’m tired of not being able to see my daughters, to hold them and hug them and to tell them I love them. Please watch over me God. Take care of them. Help them be happy. Wrap your arms around them and show them the way. Take care of my mom, too. You know she’s a good woman. She’s someone who deserves happiness. You have to keep me from going insand in here. Please help me survive htis place. Please keep me from killing myself. I don’t want to go out this way. Please God…please don’t let me unscrew that light bulb.”

And so opens the the 2009 autobiography “Busted; The Rise & Fall of Art Schlichter.” The year is 2005 and Schlicter goes on to describe life in solitary confinement, a place ironically named The SHU (Solitary Housing Unit), and his temptations to break the solitary light bulb in his cell and use it to cut his wrists. He has found himself in solitary because he was caught gambling on a basketball game while in prison. Schlichter’s description of his time in solitary is filled with enough regret and self loathing to scare anyone away from a life in prison. The rest of the book doesn’t get any better as he tells of the people he’d wronged, a life full of regrets and ends with his desire to overcome his gambling addiction and spend his life helping others who struggle with gambling addiction.

I received the book in the fall of 2009 from a public relations agent working with Schlichter. She turned out to be an old colleague who used to pitch stories to me back when I was an editor with ThisWeek papers in Columbus. Like Schlichter, she was also from Washington Court House and a friend of the Schliechter family. We talked about Schlichter and his story which she could only describe as a tragedy for all involved. She was also encouraged that he was getting his life back in order.

Over the past two years, it was looking like Schlichter was making a comeback of sorts. He was working his way back into the Columbus radio market and popping up at celebrity events around the city. I think everyone had hoped that Schlicter had put his past behind him and was moving into a new phase of his life.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t.

In a follow up to a story that was first appeared in Friday’s Columbus Dispatch, the Dispatch is reporting this morning that Schlichter isn’t the only one who has been driven to suicidal thoughts by Schlichter’s actions. According to the Dispatch, Schlichter coerced Anita Barney, wife of the late Wendy’s CEO Robert Barney, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and even coerced Barney to borrow large sums from friends and acquittances on Schlicter’s behalf. By the time it was all over, Schlichter had driven Barney to such a point of despair that she went to her husband’s grave with the intention of killing herself only to be saved by a phone call from her son.

According to the Barney’s story in today’s Dispatch, Barney was reunited with Schlichter in the fall of 2009 as he was promoting his book (at a church event) and discussing his commitment to help others with gambling addiction. She was impressed by his desire to help others and loaned him the money on the promise that he would pay her back from the profits made with the book. The loan was never paid back and instead of returning her money, Schlichter drug her into a world of get-rich ticket schemes and pressure that drove her to destruction. It is a tail far more desperate than anything in Schlichter’s book.

Having never personally suffered from addiction, it is hard for me to relate to a disease of this sort. However, after reading Schlichter’s description of his addiction and the pain he claims to have felt for those he harmed, it can only be described as a disease. What else could lead someone into such a state of despair while ruthlessly bringing others down with him.

The question then becomes, why do we care? Why does it bother us to see a man like Schlichter fall yet again? On some level it doesn’t. Here is a guy who had every chance in the world only to throw it away over and over again. On another level though it does. It bothers us in the same way that it bothered us to see Pete Rose fall from the lofty heights of childhood heroedom.

But with Schlichter, there’s something more. Schilchter is a part of the history that is Ohio State football. It was Art Schlichter that I watched as a kid going to my first Ohio State games. It is Art Schilchter, the last quarterback to play for the legendary Woody Hayes. And yes, it was Art Schlichter who threw the interception that lead to the firing of Coach Hayes. For many, Schlichter captures a moment in time, a romantic memory of days gone by.

And maybe it’s the shattering of that memory that makes the story personal for the rest of us. We want our heroes to live on. We want them to be the people we always made them out to be, if even in our own minds. This desire is shown by Schlichter’s ability to be quickly accepted back into the Columbus and Ohio State community shortly after his release from prison.

College sports attract us in a way that professional sports can’t. For many, college football traditions become a living representation of an important time in our lives. For a few moments on those fall Saturday afternoons, we are taken back to a time when the world was laid out in front of us filled with potential and dreams yet to be determined. In a few hours we are taken on an emotional roller coaster as we pull behind a team that in some way, represents us–no matter who you cheer for.

Unfortunately, the pressure we place on our heroes and the image we reflect upon them often serves us but not the person behind that image. Schilchter’s gambling problems go back to his days at Ohio State. His is a sickness that has harmed not only himself but those around him. For most of us, our memory of a great Ohio State quarterback will always be there. Sadly, so will our memory of a deeply troubled individual.


Excerpt from: Ex-Football Star Art Schlichter Investigated in Ticket Scam
Art Schlichter, the former Ohio State University quarterback who lost it all to a gambling addiction and spent more than a decade in prison for forgery and fraud, may be in trouble with the law again. He's under investigation in a multimillion-dollar ticket-selling scam that apparently led to the near-suicide of the widow of Wendy's CEO Robert Barney.