Report: Graf Paid $775,000 to End Tax Probe

Steffi Graf paid $775,000 to German tax authorities and charity in the deal that ended an investigation into her taxes last month, a news magazine reported Saturday.

Der Spiegel did not identify the source for the story, but it quoted tax officials as being angry about the deal because “she was the one liable for the taxes.”

Prosecutors on March 26 said they were dropping their tax investigation of Graf in return for her agreeing to pay a fine and make a charitable contribution. Neither side would disclose terms of the deal.

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Top-ranked Martina Hingis picked up her 30th consecutive victory this year, a tough 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 decision over Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in the Family Circle semifinals at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Hingis will go for her sixth 1997 title today against fourth-seeded Monica Seles, who defeated two-time Family Circle champion Conchita Martinez, 6-3, 6-4. Hingis defeated Seles last week in the Lipton Championships final in 44 minutes.

Pro Football

The Cincinnati Bengals signed quarterback Boomer Esiason to a two-year contract, terms of which were not disclosed. Esiason played 10 games, starting eight of them, for the Arizona Cardinals last year. He played for Cincinnati from 1984-92.

Cornerback Tom Carter became a Chicago Bear after the Washington Redskins decided not to match the Bears’ five-year, $13.8-million contract offer. . . . The Redskins continued to bolster their secondary, signing safety Jesse Campbell. He started for the New York Giants last year but was released for salary cap reasons. Campbell, who turns 28 this week, signed a three-year, $1.9-million contract, according to reports. He fills the void left by strong safety Darryl Morrison, who was released because of team doctors’ concerns about a neck injury he suffered late in the season.

Boxing

Vuyani Bungu (32-2) retained the International Boxing Federation featherweight title with a split decision over Kennedy McKinney at Pretoria, South Africa, in a rematch of the fight that earned him the title.

Heavyweight David Tua (27-0) remained unbeaten, rallying to stop Oleg Maskaev in the 11th round of a scheduled 12-rounder at Atlantic City, N.J.

Motor Sports

Mark Martin christened Texas Motor Speedway with his 30th NASCAR Busch Grand National series victory in the 200-lap Coca-Cola 300 at Fort Worth.

Because of three inches of rain since the beginning of the week, added to an already saturated water table at Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR canceled qualifying for today’s Interstate Batteries 500. Instead of time trials, the 43-car field was determined by car-owner points and postmarks on entry blanks.

Brazilian driver Christian Fittipaldi broke his right leg when involved in a spectacular crash with Gil de Ferran on the second lap of the Australian IndyCarnival Indy-car race at Surfers Paradise.

Gary Scelzi (top fuel), Chuck Etchells (funny car), Scott Geoffrion (pro stock) and Matt Hines (pro stock motorcycle) are the leaders for today’s finals of the Winston Invitational at Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway.

Golf

Gil Morgan shot a five-under-par 67 to open a five-stroke lead in the Tradition at Scottsdale, Ariz. Morgan has a total of 17-under 199--a tournament record and the lowest 54-hole total on the senior tour this year.

Larry Rinker, forced to return to qualifying school last year, held a one-stroke lead over defending champion Scott McCarron through eight holes of the darkness-suspended third round of Freeport-McDermott Classic at New Orleans.

Rinker birdied the second and third holes of the day to go to 12 under. Play had been delayed for 3 1/2 hours as storms raged through the area.

Annika Sorenstam, vying for her third victory of the season, shot a one-under 71 for a one-stroke lead over Juli Inkster after three rounds of the Longs Drugs Challenge at Lincoln, Calif.

Jurisprudence

Publicity surrounding former Michigan basketball standout Jalen Rose being ticketed for loitering in a drug house in 1993 did not prevent him from leaving free tickets to games for three men with him at the time, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Rose left tickets for the three men during the 1993-94 season, with all three receiving tickets to the same game at least once. The newspaper also reported that Rose received a disproportionate number of complimentary tickets during his junior season.

West Virginia free safety Gary Thompkins has been charged by police with driving under the influence. Thompkins was released on bond Friday in time to practice with the Mountaineers.

Miscellany

Alan Kirschenbaum’s Little Steven scored an upset over Hi Ho Silverheel’s in the $100,000 Arnold Pacing Series Final, the richest harness race in California, Friday at Los Alamitos.

Jay Smith, who led Grand Valley State to the NCAA Division II playoffs in his first season as basketball coach, was chosen to head the program at Central Michigan. Smith succeeds Leonard Drake, fired after the Chippewas finished last in the MAC. . . . Tim Criss made a ball change on his final two practice shots before the title match and it proved to be the difference as he defeated Mike Shady, 242-208, to win the Flagship Open at Erie, Pa. . . . The United States made wrestling history by winning all eight matches in a 25-7 victory over Russia at the Freestyle World Cup at Stillwater, Okla. It marked the first time a U.S. team had swept the Russians in a World Cup dual meet. The United States also won the team competition in the round-robin event and claimed six individual gold medals. . . . Shelley Looney had a goal and two assists as the U.S. breezed to a 6-0 victory over China in the Women’s World Ice Hockey championship at Kitchener, Canada.