Report Ties Rose to Gamblers, Drug Dealers

A former friend of Pete Rose said he plans to tell a federal grand jury that the manager of the Cincinnati Reds gambled and knowingly associated with wealthy drug traffickers, the Cincinnati Post reported Wednesday.

Michael Fry, among those who have linked Rose to alleged gambling, told the newspaper that he has personal knowledge that Rose was behind in payments to his bookmaker, Ronald Peters.

Peters has told investigators that he “took bets over a period of two years from Rose that could very well amount to in excess of a million dollars,” said Robert C. Brichler, an assistant U.S. attorney in Cleveland.

Rose, whose gambling practices are being investigated by the baseball commissioner, has said he never gambled on baseball or placed bets through bookies.

If Rose is found to have bet on baseball, he could be suspended for a year. If he is found to have bet on games involving the Reds, he could be suspended for life.