Former WFAN talk show host Craig Carton faces his sentencing on Friday, April 5th. Carton was found guilty last year of defrauding investors in a ticket scheme to pay off millions of dollars of gambling debts.
Carton faces the potential of serious prison time after his conviction as prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 70-87 months in jail, which means the one-time morning show host in the biggest local sports talk station in the country could spend several years in prison.
But even when that potential becomes reality, Carton has apparently already made plans to tell his story. The New York Post reports that Carton has prepared a confessional video entitled “The Reckoning” that details his gambling addiction which led him down this troublesome path.
“The Reckoning” was apparently shot and edited six weeks ago, and was to be released to the public — as per Carton’s wishes — following Friday’s sentencing. If he prefers a jailhouse confession to a preemptive one designed to curry the court’s sympathy, that’s good on him. Either way, he’s headed to prison, no one left to con.
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The video opens with a show and tell. Carton: “My 7-year-old son went back to school after the summer. The teacher said, ‘I want you to draw for me your favorite places to visit.’
“He drew Atlantis, Hollywood Hard Rock and the Borgata — three casinos. That’s not normal for a 7-year-old. That’s the first time I really looked in the mirror and said, ‘You’ve got a problem.’”
Next, shots of the front-page headlines and video of TV news stories about his arrest, followed by his on-air claims that he’s a “blackjack savant” who can guarantee huge profits. He actually believed it. But not for long.
The video sounds fairly haunting, with Carton detailing the roller coaster lifestyle that he hid from the public eye, even commenting on millions that he won and lost while gambling. With sports betting becoming legal across the country, this message of gambling addiction from a prominent sports personality who saw their life fall apart because of it will certainly resonate.
Carton will be in the headlines on Friday due to his sentencing, so there’s perhaps no better time to get his message out than in the wake of that event. He likely won’t be heard from afterwards for a long time.
