Harness Drivers Charged in Race-Fixing Crackdown

Investigators shut down a sports gambling and race-fixing ring Wednesday, and three harness drivers--including the winningest driver in the sport--were charged, New York Atty. Gen. Dennis Vacco said.

Herve Filion, 55, who has won 15,000 races in his career, was expected to surrender today, Vacco said. The other drivers, Fred Grant and Darron Ryder, were arrested at Yonkers Raceway at the start of Wednesday night’s meet.

All three have been charged with tampering with a sporting contest, which carries a sentence of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

In all, 15 people were arrested, including the alleged mastermind of the ring, Daniel P. Kramer, 44, of Scarsdale. He is accused of race tampering and of running an international sports betting ring that allegedly placed illegal bets on baseball, hockey, basketball and other events.

Vacco said at a news conference the ring wagered up to $500,000 a day. He said the investigation was begun in August 1994 after an anonymous caller tipped off Scarsdale police to the illegal betting operation.

Vacco said the harness drivers all purposely lost races this year at Yonkers but that it was not clear at this point whether they did it for money.

The three drivers have been suspended, said Jerry Bilinski, chairman of the state Racing and Wagering Board.