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Hall of Fame
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5884666
The Maurice Clarett saga took yet another bizarre turn Thursday, as the former Ohio State star's lawyer said his client may have been in possession of firearms last week to protect himself against mob activity.
According to a report on ESPN.com, Clarett's lawyer, Nick Mango, said Clarett has received repeated death threats over the past year. But a recent postcard sent from Los Angeles last week has Mango worried about Clarett's ties to an alleged member of an Israeli crime organization.
The report said Clarett traveled to L.A. in late summer of 2004, where he was introduced to Hai Waknine, 35, a convicted felon whom prosecutors believe is a member of an Israeli crime organization called The Jerusalem Group. Waknine reportedly became Clarett's sponsor, providing him with cash, a BMW, bodyguards, drivers and beachfront lodging in Malibu, Calif., with the understanding that he would be reimbursed and would receive 60 percent of Clarett's rookie contract.
When Clarett was released by the Denver Broncos in August of 2005, he could not pay Waknine back and was eventually cut off financially.
After Clarett was arrested last week while in possession of four guns and a hatchet and wearing a bulletproof vest, his attorneys received an anonymous phone call alerting them to Clarett's ties to Waknine. They grew more suspicious when the threatening postcard arrived from Los Angeles this week.
"That's our question, whether it's from him or people associated with that scene out there," Mango told ESPN. "Again, it came from Los Angeles, and we don't know what to make of that. ... We're going to turn this over to someone in law enforcement and see what they think (of the postcard). ... We've always felt he had some reasons to fear for his safety, and we don't think any of his actions the night he was arrested despite the way it's been spun were that he was a threat to anyone else but more of him being in fear for his safety for quite some time."
Mango said he believes Clarett's debts may be the reason behind the threats.
"I believe he owes (Waknine) money, and I think (Waknine) is probably not the only one," Mango said.
The Maurice Clarett saga took yet another bizarre turn Thursday, as the former Ohio State star's lawyer said his client may have been in possession of firearms last week to protect himself against mob activity.
According to a report on ESPN.com, Clarett's lawyer, Nick Mango, said Clarett has received repeated death threats over the past year. But a recent postcard sent from Los Angeles last week has Mango worried about Clarett's ties to an alleged member of an Israeli crime organization.
The report said Clarett traveled to L.A. in late summer of 2004, where he was introduced to Hai Waknine, 35, a convicted felon whom prosecutors believe is a member of an Israeli crime organization called The Jerusalem Group. Waknine reportedly became Clarett's sponsor, providing him with cash, a BMW, bodyguards, drivers and beachfront lodging in Malibu, Calif., with the understanding that he would be reimbursed and would receive 60 percent of Clarett's rookie contract.
When Clarett was released by the Denver Broncos in August of 2005, he could not pay Waknine back and was eventually cut off financially.
After Clarett was arrested last week while in possession of four guns and a hatchet and wearing a bulletproof vest, his attorneys received an anonymous phone call alerting them to Clarett's ties to Waknine. They grew more suspicious when the threatening postcard arrived from Los Angeles this week.
"That's our question, whether it's from him or people associated with that scene out there," Mango told ESPN. "Again, it came from Los Angeles, and we don't know what to make of that. ... We're going to turn this over to someone in law enforcement and see what they think (of the postcard). ... We've always felt he had some reasons to fear for his safety, and we don't think any of his actions the night he was arrested despite the way it's been spun were that he was a threat to anyone else but more of him being in fear for his safety for quite some time."
Mango said he believes Clarett's debts may be the reason behind the threats.
"I believe he owes (Waknine) money, and I think (Waknine) is probably not the only one," Mango said.
