Former Ohio State and NFL quarterback Art Schlichter was charged in federal court Wednesday with fraud linked to a million-dollar ticket-selling scheme.
Schlichter deceived people by promising sports tickets at low prices based on his contacts, according to the indictment and supporting documents filed in U.S. District Court.
In fact, Schlichter didn't have contacts and used the money he got for tickets for personal expenses, to gamble and to repay older debts, the court documents said.
Schlichter, 51, also has been charged in state court with multiple theft charges, with those counts expected to be resolved with a plea deal Thursday, according to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien.
Those charges allege Schlichter and unnamed associates bilked people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Schlichter surrendered in February and remains in jail.
Beginning in 2006, according to the federal charges, Schlichter offered people a chance to buy sports tickets at low prices, mainly to Ohio State football games but also baseball and NFL games, including the Super Bowl, according to a document