Rose Winning Bet Ruse Told : Witness Says He Directed Friend to Cash Pik Six Ticket

Pete Rose conceived of the idea to deceive the federal government about his ownership of a winning $47,646 race track ticket, former Rose associate Paul G. Janszen told a federal jury today.

Janszen said Rose told former house-mate Thomas P. Gioiosa to cash the 1987 winning ticket from Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., even though Rose owned the majority share.

Janszen’s testimony during Gioiosa’s trial on drug and tax-evasion charges was the first time the former Cincinnati Reds manager has been accused in court of direct involvement in a federal crime.

Rose was banned from baseball for life last week by Commissioner Bart Giamatti. He is also under investigation by a federal grand jury in Cincinnati looking into whether he deceived the IRS about his gambling and other earnings.

Janszen was called by the government today to testify against Gioiosa, 31, who is being tried in U.S. District Court on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. One of the charges involves a 1987 Pik Six ticket from Turfway Park that Gioiosa is accused of claiming as his own on his taxes when it actually belonged to Rose.

Much of Janszen’s morning testimony revolved around the Jan. 16, 1987, Pik Six ticket. He said he was with Rose, Gioiosa and others at the track that night in a private box the track allowed Rose to use.

Janszen said Rose already had bought the Pik Six ticket when he arrived but allowed him to buy a 25% share of it. Janszen said he sold half of his 25% share to Gioiosa when the former Rose house-mate arrived at the track.

When the ticket won, Rose passed it over his shoulder to Gioiosa and, according to Janszen, told him, “Go cash the ticket.”

“Pete said something like, ‘You need to show income (on your taxes),’ ” Janszen testified.

He said Rose later added, “ ‘Hey, I’ve paid enough to the IRS. Why should they get part of my track winnings?’ or something like that.”

Those who cash large winning tickets at tracks are required to sign for the money on a form that goes to the federal government for tax purposes.

Janszen previously made those comments to baseball investigators and at a news conference in New York.

Janszen in his testimony today also linked Gioiosa to a cocaine ring, and a tape played during his appearance on the witness stand indicated that Rose was aware of his associates’ drug dealings. Rose has claimed he had no knowledge of the drug involvement of those who ran Gold’s Gym in Forest Park, Ohio, where he worked out.

Janszen tried to discuss Rose’s knowledge of the cocaine smuggling operation of his gym associates, but U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel prevented the testimony. Spiegel cut Janszen short, saying the testimony was irrelevant to the case against Gioiosa.

In court today, Janszen started to repeat the testimony, saying, “He stopped off at the Cincinnati Reds office, their clubhouse, and he showed Pete Rose how much money (former gym operator) Don Stenger had accumulated, and he told Pete that he was going to Florida. He (Gioiosa) was on his way to Florida to pick. . . . “

The judge cut him off at that point.