Jimmy Battista, another co-conspirator in the 2007 NFL betting scandal, played a major role in making millions of dollars for his clients.
Jimmy and Tim were classmates at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield, Pennsylvania when they first met, but they didn’t get to know each other until later. By this time, Jimmy had already established a reputation as a professional gambler known as “Bah-Bah” (or “Baba”) and “The Sheep,” while Tim was an NBA official.
Jimmy seems to have rebelled a bit as a young man because of his extremely strict and religious family, but according to the producer, this led him to hang out with the wrong people. “I barely graduated from high school because I didn’t care,” Jimmy admits in “Untold.”
As a waiter, he served an area where everything from drugs to money to gambling was prevalent. This eventually led to the beginning of his love of gambling; he eventually became a successful bookmaker. “I had a good personality to get information from people on a one-to-one basis [no matter the league],” then a member of Animals syndicate said, explaining the reasons behind its success.
In 2022, Netflix Not to mention: Blatant fraud campaign The documentary chronicles Jimmy’s firsthand knowledge of NBA referees’ betting habits and his relationship with Tim.
Learn more about him here.
Netflix’s Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul: Meet Jimmy Battista, Tim Donaghy’s Partner
James “Baba” Battista, aka Jimmy Battista, remains the person best placed to know what really happened in the betting scandal. Of the several conspirators, Jimmy is the only one who has not spoken to the FBI or (except for an HBO interview) to the public.
However, around 2006, after Jimmy and the bookmaker had a falling out, Jimmy decided to contact Tim through Thomas “Tommy” Martino, a mutual friend from high school, with a lucrative proposition. Because of his job, he knew about the NBA referee’s gambling problem. Furthermore, according to Battista, Donaghy had always been quite greedy, and he had expected Donaghy to call again looking for something valuable, such as an NFL pick, money, or something else.
“If the NBA gave out free tampons,” Battista said, “Timmy would take them. That’s the kind of guy he is.”
They quickly decided to team up to make some extra money; Tim would give him options and he would run with the money.
The details of their actual encounter vary, but one thing Jimmy is not shy about admitting is that while Tim initially made $2,000 per successful bet, he is now making at least $2 million. Additionally, he has reportedly helped his clients make a total of $20 to $30 million.
On December 12, 2006, at the Philadelphia Marriott International Airport, Tim Donaghy was accosted by Battista and Thomas Martino, the middleman who had spoken to Tim before the games and brought thousands of dollars in cash when Tim’s offers were effective. Jimmy and the other conspirators were believed to be mafia-affiliated, all except Tim, who insisted the mafia had nothing to do with the betting.
Where is Jimmy Battista now?
When Tim, Jimmy, and Tommy’s betting scam was discovered in 2007, the only person who resisted talking to or cooperating with the FBI was the professional gambler. In an effort to get the most serious charges against him dismissed, he was prepared to go to trial and face a possible 25-year prison sentence, but the prosecution eventually reached a deal. Jimmy was convicted of only one count of conspiracy to promote racketeering, wire fraud, and illegal gambling after pleading guilty. He ended up serving a 15-month prison sentence.
After being released from the Metropolitan Detention Center-Brooklyn in New York, Jimmy returned to his hometown of Pennsylvania, where he lived a relatively private life.
Jimmy Battista’s age
It is known that Jimmy Battista was born in 1966 and in 2022 he is 56 years old.
Jimmy Battista Net Worth
Jimmy Battista should have had a net worth of over $1 million. He was famous for being a mover who was not a gambler or a bookmaker. They were a form of broker who helped people bet on sports by placing bets on behalf of their clients. Because of his status in that society, he helped set up a random, unorganized hedge fund without Donaghy’s knowledge but based on Donaghy’s recommendations.
Battista excelled in that challenging position and developed an A-list clientele. He moved large amounts of money daily for years while working tirelessly. Jimmy bet over a million dollars per game for his clients.
Does Jimmy Battista use social media?
No, Jimmy Battista is not on any social media platforms.
Jimmy Battista’s wife
Currently, there is no information about Jimmy Battista’s relationship status and marriage.
Related FAQs
-
Where did Jimmy Battista come from?
Jimmy Battista is from Pennsylvania.
-
Was Jimmy Battista a Navy Seal?
No, there is no evidence that Jimmy Battista was ever in the navy. In fact, it was someone else with the same name.