European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday november 6, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25commentaryboxing s King accused of ties to mob How much longer can Congress and the Justice department ignore Don King and boxing in this weeks sports illustrated Magazine Joseph Spinelli a former Federal Bureau of investigation agent who is now the new York state inspector general writes of Fri reports linking King to the organized crime figures John Gotti and Matthew Matty the horse Lanniello of the boxing promoter s ties to the Cleveland mob which began when he was a numbers Baron there and of his manipulation of Money owed Larry Holm amps the sex world heavyweight Champion and his Trainer Richie Giachetti. In a a a frontline television program entitled a Don King unauthorized a which was to air tuesday night on Public television investigative reporter Jack new Field asserts that King has had a Long association with organized crime that he bribed a judge to reduce his 1967 second degree murder conviction to manslaughter that he slipped Muhammad Ali $50,000 Cash to drop litigation for allegedly being shortchanged $1 million and that he paid Tim Witherspoon Only $90,000 of a $500,000 purse. King has categorically denied Spinellis allegations. Expect him to deny Newfields allegations not Only categorically but considering his sometimes confused vocabulary maybe cataclysmic ally. For All his bluster about a Only in America a somebody like Don King endures Only in boxing. He revels in what he Calls  where there a smoke there a fire. Yet for nearly two decades he has never been burned. He has put a Torch to others but its As if he has been wearing an Asbestos Tuxedo. He has escaped without a Blister. Nearly a year ago it was suggested Here that boxing needs another Estes Kefauver who was the chairman of the Senate committee that investigated boxing in 1960. Somebody to scrutinize Don King and the brutality of boxing outside the ring. Somebody to pursue the latest allegations that suggest that Kings Asbestos Tuxedo might be turning toxic. According to Spinelli who was in charge of the Fri investigation into boxing corruption a decade ago an undercover Fri agent using the name Victor Quintana pretended to be a multimillionaire drug dealer who hoped to launder Money As a boxing promotional partner. Quintana met with King Early in 1983 after being ushered into the promoters office by Michael fran Csc then a Capo in the Colombo crime family and the Rev. Al Sharpton who acknowledges having been an Fri informant later but not at the time of the meeting. Shortly after Spinelli recalls the Fri abruptly can Lave Anc Lerson Mil  Jav 1  to / i a j.1 \ is a  paper Trail link Don King to organized crime celeb its investigation. Two months earlier. South korean lightweight Duk Koo Kim died after being knocked out by Ray Mancini in a title bout. According to Spinelli the Fri office in Washington did not want to risk being involved in a boxing promotion that could possibly result in a boxers death. Two months later Quintana met Danny Pagano a Genovese family Soldier. A when Pagano a wrote Spinelli a found out that Quintana had met King through Franzese Pagano said a what did you go to Michael for King s with  Quot King was later indicted on a charge of tax evasion but was acquitted. His vice president of Don King productions. Constance Harper was Eon Viciedo on three counts and served four months in prison. In the a frontline Quot program. Newfield cites King s police record of More than 30 arrests from 1951 to 1966 on charges ranging from gambling to assault. 1ie also cites police allegations that King spent $30,000 to buy off witnesses to his sidewalk Iii ing of a Man. Sam Garret who owed King Money. King served nearly Lour years in prison for manslaughter. In 1983. He was granted a full Pardon irom the governor of Ohio. V Tim Witherspoon however has not pardoned King for allegedly paying him Only $90,000 of his $500,000 purse for stopping Frank Bruno in a world boxing association heavyweight title bout in London in 1986. A i said a yeah Don. What Sall this this Here $90,000, Quot Witherspoon recalls in a taped interview. A the said a Well really what it is is 90, is half of you got a Nickel Quot meaning $500,000. Quot he said a you got a Nickel. Carl got his Cut. And then you had expenses i said. A Man this is crazy. Quot according to Newfield Kings Stepson Carl King who was Witherspoon s manager collected 50 percent of Witherspoon s purse or $250,000, while Bruno the loser received a $900,000 purse. Among the common Den animators in the article and the program is Richie Giachetti who emerged from Cleveland with King two decades ago. Giachetti once Holmes Trainer and now working for King As Mike Tyson s Trainer often complained bitterly and repeatedly that King never paid him a proper percentage of Holmes earnings that King skimmed 25 percent of the Champion s Money Lor himself in violation of the boxing Law that a promoter can t be a manager. According to Spinelli when he asked Holmes for help in the Fri inc ligation the Champion Shook his head and said Quot King s got a lot of bad friends. I be got to make a living. I have a family. I m scared Lor my family. I be got to be careful. I be can Hurt  if the world heavyweight Champion was seared of Don King just about everybody else in boxing must be scared. And the Way Congress and the Justice department keep ignoring the allegations concerning this promoters a a trick ration Quot and Asbestos Tuxedo its almost As if they re scared too. Only in boxing. Till new Ywuc term aides arranged payments Auburn tapes show Auburn Ala. A Auburn assistant coaches gave Cash to former football player Eric Ramsey made his car payments and funnelled Cash to him from a Birmingham Booster according to secret tape recordings made by Ramsey. The birding Luis news published a copyrighted Story sunday that detailed the contents of a second Batch of tapes released by Ramsey and his attorney. The first tapes of Ramsey a conversations with an Auburn Booster were disclosed in the newspaper oct. 20. In one taped conversation Ramsey told secondary coach Steve Dennis that head coach Pat Dye gave him Money. In others former assistant coach Larry Blakeney now head coach at Troy state agrees to help Ramsey arrange a payment from Birmingham advertising executive Don Kirkpatrick an Auburn Booster. Blake nay refused to comment. Kirkpatrick denied giving Money to Ramsey. Additional tapes include former recruiting coordinator Frank Young meeting Ramsey to give him $300 in Cash one of the payments Ramsey claims he received monthly. Young declined to comment. In the taped conversation with Dennis the coach agreed to make a $319 payment on Ramsey a Chevrolet Beretta. Dennis refused to comment. The Mcaa and Auburn arc investigating Ramsey a allegations which could result in severe penalties against Auburn. But Dye who also serves As athletic director has said his department would escape sanctions. A i still can to see any penalty after everything is told Quot Dye said after the first Batch of tapes was released. The first tapes were of conversations Between Ramsey and Booster Bill a a Corky Frost of lil Burn ga., who discussed paying Ramsey a car notes and insurance and giving him Cash steaks to help him gain weight and performance bonuses. Ramsey 23, was Cut from the Kansas City chiefs earlier this year after being drafted in the 10th round. The release of the tapes comes weeks after he first went Public with allegations of cheating in the Auburn football program. Ramsey said he began secretly recording talks in the Spring of 1987 with boosters and Auburn coaches. Ramsey a attorney Donald Watkins said Dye should Tell what he knows. A the Bottom line question is whether Pat Dye As athletic director and head coach knew of or participated in a scheme to distribute extra benefits to Eric Ramsey and other players Quot Watkins said. Quot i know the answer to that question and Pat Dye knows the answer to that question. Ill give him the first Opportunity to answer publicly Quot he said. A ii he refuses to answer it or does not come clean. I ii let the pal Dye tapes provide the  Watkins said three tapes of conversations Between Dye and Ramsey would he made Public in two weeks. Dve said his position has t changed. A put All the tapes on the table. Ii you got something on me on Auburn lets put them out there Quot he said. A but done to piecemeal it. Done to orchestrate this like some big  lie said it would be easier for Auburn to defend itself before Mcaa if All the evidence was made Public. A we want to defend ourselves but we re not going to defend ourselves in a piecemeal  last week an Mcaa investigator listened to the tapes of assistant coaches under an agreement with Watkins. Quot there a no question it elevates the seriousness of this matter a Watkins said of the coaches tapes. Quot not Only Are you on Campus but you re in the athletic department in the offices of the coaches Quot during the taped conversation with Dennis in Early 1988, Ramsey asked for help with a late car payment. Dennis told Ramsey he was spending too much Money. Quot coach Young has Given me Money. Coach Dye has Given me Money. Hut coach Young said he can to do anything for me right now a Ramsey said. Auburn spat Dye. Done to orchestrated Dennis told Ramsey he would try to help with the car payment. In an interview Ramsey said the first Lime he received Money trom Auburn coaches was when Dye gave him $300 through Bla Keney Lor a wedding present. Dye denied giving Ramsey Cash Lor a wedding Gilt