Scandal Touches Colorado

The FBI is investigating claims that a University of Colorado football player was involved in a gambling ring run by a former Northwestern quarterback, ESPN reported.

Brian Ballarini, who has pleaded guilty to running a bookmaking operation at Northwestern, has implicated an unnamed Colorado player. Ballarini transferred to Colorado in 1995 and graduated last year.

Dick Tharp, athletic director at Colorado, said the university has looked into the claims. He said Ballarini’s claims caused Colorado to “start calling people to see if you have an ongoing problem, a pattern or behavior or a continuing pattern. At this point I think we have an isolated instance. [But] you still take it seriously to see what it means.”

Meanwhile, several Northwestern players are under investigation to determine whether they shaved points to stay within the point spread they had bet on. Six people have already pleaded guilty in the federal investigation of illegal sports gambling at Northwestern.