Athletics: Montgomery on a new charge

Former 100 metre world-record holder Tim Montgomery has been arrested on charges that he was connected to a multi-million dollar bank fraud and money laundering scheme, prosecutors say. A grand jury indictment charged Montgomery, his gold medallist track coach, Steve Riddick, and 11 others.

The US attorney said all defendants were charged with conspiring to defraud banks by depositing about US$5 million (NZ$7.99 million) in stolen, altered or counterfeit cheques. Some money was laundered through coffee businesses.

Montgomery is accused of depositing three bogus cheques worth US$775,000 and picking up a US$20,000 broker's fee. According to the indictment, Riddick paid Montgomery $20,000.

In December, Montgomery, 31, was barred from competing for two years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport based on the federal investigation of Balco; he announced his retirement the next day. He has denied using steroids but the arbitration court also wiped out Montgomery's results since March 31, 2001, including his 100m world record of 9.78s, set in 2002 and which lasted until last June.

Montgomery won gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2000 Olympics.

Riddick won gold in the same relay at the 1976 Olympics. He coached Montgomery at university and had been the coach for Montgomery and Marion Jones in recent years.

Jones, who was part of the Balco investigation but was not sanctioned, has been a loyal defender of Montgomery, who is the father of her son. Riddick was arrested and indicted in February.

-AGENCIES