Watch CBS News

An Olympic Scapegoat?

As the Salt Lake Olympic Games come to a close, there's one event still to be judged: does Tom Welch get a gold medal, or does he go to prison?

Welch is a wealthy Salt Lake businessman, who was appointed by Utah's former governor to bring the Olympic games to Salt Lake City.

Now, it's an open secret that International Olympic Committee members have long voted for the city that gives them the most persuasive gifts, and Welch won the games for his hometown by heaping items of great value upon key IOC members.

Welch tells his story in detail for the first time in a "60 Minutes" report broadcast Sunday, Feb. 24, on the CBS Television Network.

Click here to read the entire transcript of this interview.

Problem is, the U.S. Justice Department indicted him for bribery alleging that he secretly paid more than $1 million to win IOC votes.

Is Welch a scapegoat?

He talked to CBS News "60 Minutes" Correspondent Mike Wallace about what he did and why he did it. And how for him it's been a long fall from that moment seven years ago when Utah's Governor Mike Leavitt celebrated the announcement that Salt Lake had won the games.

Welch said Leavitt is a liar for denying he knew Welch was providing expensive gifts and favors to IOC members. Leavitt denies having known of any bidding improprieties.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.