Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy told investigators in the NBA betting probe that relationships among officials, coaches, and players "affected the outcome of games," according to a report on ESPN.com.

The accusations, made by Donaghy through one of his attorneys, were called unfounded by league officials.

The same attorney also suggested that Donaghy told investigators about the activities of other officials and about a referee that passed "confidential" information to an unidentified coach.

"The letter filed today on Mr. Donaghy's behalf contains an assortment of lies, unfounded allegations, and facts that have been previously acknowledged, such as the fact that certain NBA referees engaged in casino gambling in violation of NBA rules," said Joel Litvin, the NBA president for league and basketball operations, in a statement. "The letter is the desperate act of a convicted felon who is hoping to avoid prison time."