DETROIT -- A former University of Toledo football player pleaded guilty Thursday in a sports-bribery investigation, admitting he accepted more than $2,000 from a Detroit-area gambler, including $500 to fumble the ball in a 2005 bowl game.
Quinton Broussard became the fourth former Rocket to plead guilty in the point-shaving probe, which included football and basketball roughly from 2004 through 2006.
He said he told Ghazi "Gary" Manni about team injuries and other confidential information in exchange for "small amounts of money."
But Broussard also admitted that the bribes affected his play. He said he intentionally fumbled against Texas-El Paso in the 2005 GMAC Bowl.
Nonetheless, Toledo easily won the game, 45-13.
Outside court, the 27-year-old Dallas man declined to talk about the fumble or why he took money.
"I don't remember the game," said Broussard, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy. "You'll have to go back to the film."
Charges are pending against three former Toledo basketball players as well as Manni and another Detroit-area businessman, Mitchell "Ed" Karam. All have pleaded not guilty.
Manni and Karam are accused of betting $407,000 on Toledo basketball games in 2005 and 2006 and paying players to shave points or control the final score.
Defense attorney Sanford Plotkin said Broussard needed money and used "horrible judgment."
"I'm not excusing his conduct, but he was victimized by a vulture gambler," Plotkin said.
Broussard has agreed to testify against co-defendants. His sentencing guidelines call for as much as six months in custody, although the judge has discretion to go higher or lower on Dec. 1.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
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