4 Wildcats Indicted For Perjury

Four former Northwestern football players have been indicted for lying to grand juries investigating sports betting at the school, officials said today.

Dennis Lundy, Christopher Gamble, Michael Senters and Gregory Gill are all charged with perjury. Lundy was the leading rusher on the Wildcats' 1994 team.

"These four defendants fumbled their opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics and to maintain the integrity of athletic competition," U.S. attorney Scott Lassar said.

The charges all involved testimony the four gave before grand juries in 1995 and 1997.

Lundy was accused of lying when he said he did not fumble on purpose on a goal-line rush during a 1994 game against Iowa. Lundy also lied when he denied placing bets both for and against Northwestern in several games during the 1993 and 1994 seasons, prosecutors contended.

Gamble, Senters and Gill all were also accused of lying about betting on Northwestern games in 1993 and 1994.

Midway through the third quarter of the Iowa game, Northwestern was inside the 1-yard line with a chance to cut into Iowa's 35-13 lead when Lundy fumbled a handoff from quarterback Steve Schnur.

A teammate, defensive Rodney Ray, knew Lundy had a gambling habit and complained openly that Lundy fumbled intentionally. A coach overheard Ray's accusation and an internal investigation was launched, the findings of which were given to federal authorities who began investigating possible point-shaving by Northwestern players.

Alan Cubbage, Northwestern's vice president for university relations, called the indictments "deeply troubling."

"Illegal gambling is something that is not tolerated at Northwestern, and the university will continue to take all necessary precautions to prevent its occurrence on our campus," Cubbage said.

More from CBS News