Disgraced former National Basketball Association referee Tim Donaghy has been sentenced to 15 months in jail.
In Brooklyn federal court, Judge Carol B Amon announced Donaghy's sentence. Under sentencing guidelines, he faced up to 33 months in prison.
Donaghy, 41, pleaded guilty last year to taking cash payoffs and placing bets on games. The gambling scheme covered about 40 games in the 2006 and 2007 seasons and netted Donaghy up to US$30,000 a year for game tips, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors had sent a letter to Amon detailing Donaghy's co-operation in the investigation so that the judge could take that into account.
In addition to the prison time he faces, Donaghy also must pay a $500,000 fine and at least $30,000 in restitution.
Two Pennsylvania gamblers last week were sentenced for their roles in corrupting with the former referee.
James Battista, 42, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Thomas Martino, 42, got a year and a day.
Amon said both men and Donaghy were liable for $217,000 in restitution to the NBA. Because Amon found the three men had different levels of responsibilities for the amount, their final payouts would individually vary.
The NBA had wanted more than $1 million.
Following the judgment, the NBA released a statement saying it hoped to put the issue in the past.
"We anticipate that the judge's sentencing decision, together with the changes we have made to our referee operations staff, will enable us to continue with the improvements we are making to our anti-gambling rules, policies and procedures," the statement read.
"With the conclusion of the government's investigation into this matter, we also look forward to the timely issuance of Larry Pedowitz's review of our officiating program.
"There is little comfort to be gained from the mandatory prison sentence, especially as it affects Mr Donaghy's children and their mother, but hopefully the healing process can begin in earnest for all."
Donaghy, resigned from the NBA on July 9 after an FBI investigation charged him of betting on NBA games, perhaps including some that he officiated in, as well as providing confidential information to others so that they might profit from gambling.
NBA commissioner David Stern responded to the scandal by strengthening the NBA's background checks on referees, while insisting that Donaghy was a 'rogue' who had acted alone.
Stern described the scandal last July as the 'worst situation I have experienced' while with the league.
Donaghy admitted to passing information to bettors during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. During that time, Donaghy refereed 139 regular-season games, eight playoff games and four pre-season games.