2/9/06 Los Angeles, CA  An unnamed source has reported that the Los Angeles Quakes hockey team may be involved in a worldwide gambling scandal. The report links a close family member of coach Randy Carbone to a football betting ring. Furthermore, it notes that Carbone has had long-term connections to the notorious underworld Santarpio family (aka Sapio)

Reports have surfaced that money may be laundered through a charitable foundation which supposedly sells Quake coffee mugs to raise funds for charity. The non-profit charity, known as Arizona Bible Studies, provides economic assistance to young women in the Phoenix area. In a statement in the foundation's promotional brochure, "It is heartwarming to see the Quake veterans open up their wallets to help these young ladies."

The press has made numerous attempts to contact Quakes beat reporter, Dickie Dunn, at the Betty Ford Clinic. They hope that he will soon be released from the clinic, where he has been undergoing treatment from his relapse of alcohol abuse.

The only official statement from Quake management was from G.M. Burden. He said the team stands behind Coach Carbone and the activities of the charitable foundation. He said that team attorney, Jeffrey Sax, Esquire, is already leading an internal investigation. This may explain his mysterious absence from the last Quake game. PCHL Commissioner, Danny Garcia, was conveniently unavailable for comment.

The media leak is rumored to have come from a budding young Quake forward who was boasting to a female reporter at a Southern California coffee store.

The scandal could not come at a worst time for the Quakes, who are mired in their worst slump in years with four consecutive losses. Carbone has already been facing intense criticism since he announced that he would not be attending the organization's annual meeting and charity gala. The annual event is once again scheduled in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. Carbone claims to have family business in Italy at that time. Since Randy, always loves the Arizona charity activities, it is feared that a senior Mafia godfather has summoned him to Italy.

The media will be anxiously awaiting overdue reports from Dickie Dunn and the results of the Sax Commission investigation. It is expected that the Sax commission will also be looking into the unusual relationship the team has with Eric Bateman and Andrew Johns (real name unknown) who both remain on the Quakes payroll but have not been seen at a Quake game all season. They have been sighted at various horse racing tracks and nightclubs throughout North America and Latin America. The total disappearance of former Quake defensemen Tim Burke and Joey Longoria, also continues to cloud the Quake organization's reputation.

Team members are expecting an article from Dickie Dunn to clear up these problems and to get the team headed back in the right direction.