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Evening reading: Bryan Berard helps take down alleged con men

Men's USA Hockey Practice

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 7: Bryan Berard of the Columbus Blue Jackets poses for a portrait at the 2005 Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp for USA Hockey on September 7, 2005 at World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bryan Berard

Doug Pensinger

The Daily News calls it “one of the most extensive con jobs in sports history.” Among its alleged victims? Former first overall NHL draft pick Bryan Berard (pictured), as well as other names hockey fans will recognize, like Michael Peca, Jere Lehtinen, Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel.

The alleged perpetrators, Phil Kenner and Tommy Constantine, have apparently been arrested on a litany of charges, including wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.

If that’s not enough to convince you to read about it, perhaps this excerpt will:

Kenner and Constantine could face considerable prison time in the sprawling case that stretches from Mexico to Canada and includes bogus real estate transactions and fake investments, forged signatures on lines of credit, death threats and blackmail, much of which centers around the men’s attempts to gain control of a Cabo San Lucas golf resort that is rapidly becoming one of the most acclaimed courses in North America.

It’s a long, confusing, sordid story that goes back several years and even in a roundabout way includes Tiger Woods.

The Daily News has a page here that provides a good timeline.

And here’s the FBI’s press release on the indictments.