Two people have pleaded guilty to federal charges of interstate aid of racketeering in connection with the gambling investigation into banned University booster Ed Martin and his son Carlton Martin.
Lenon Thompson of Detroit admitted last week to receiving bets of $100,000 a week as part of the illegal gambling ring Martin is accused of running at the Ford Motor Company River Rouge plant in Dearborn.
Judith Smith of Dearborn also admitted to illegal gambling taking 200 bets a day over the phone from a person at an Alabama beauty shop.
Both face up to 10 to 16 months in prison and could be charged $250,000 in fines.
Martin, a retired Ford electrician, was banned from associating with University athletics in March 1997 after the University and the NCAA began investigating whether he had violated NCAA rules.
Martin is suspected of giving large sums of money and other gifts to former University players.
The investigation of Martin began in February of 1996 after a new Ford Explorer driven by former basketball player Maurice Taylor crashed while driving from Detroit to Ann Arbor.
Also in the vehicle were former basketball players Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock, as well as then-prospect Mateen Cleaves.
Officials found that the four had all visited Martin”s home that night.
An FBI raid in April 1999 uncovered evidence linking Martin to at least five former players, as well as large sums of cash and weapons.
In May, Martin and his son pulled out of a plea bargain agreement which would have forced them to disclose all the details of their involvement with the Michigan men”s basketball program.
Louis Bullock, Jalen Rose, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor, Chris Webber and Albert White have all been associated with Martin.
This past summer, Bullock and Traylor both admitted in Detroit federal court that they had actually taken money from Martin.
University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the University has no new information on any developments in the University”s case with Martin.
Because Martin is being investigated by the FBI and other government law enforcement agencies and not the University, it is unknown if and when Martin will disclose any more details about his involvement with University athletics.
“Grand jury investigations and federal investigations are by law confidential.
“We don”t have any new information on the proceedings,” Peterson said.