Former NBA referee Donaghy wins $1.3 million lawsuit

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- A Florida jury awarded a disgraced former NBA referee $1.3 million in a lawsuit against the company that published his memoir.

Tim Donaghy sued Shawna Vercher and her company, VTi Group, in a Pinellas County court, saying he hadn't been paid. The now-defunct company published Donaghy's 2010 book about referees and the NBA.

On Friday, a jury found Vercher's company liable for breach of contract. Vercher and her company were also cited by the jury for conspiracy to commit civil theft, civil theft, intentional infliction of emotional distress and tortious interference with business relations.

Donaghy spent 13 months in federal prison after admitting in 2008 that he took thousands of dollars from a professional gambler in exchange for inside tips on games.