What to Know
- Craig Carton, one half of the morning sports talk show "Boomer & Carton," resigned from WFAN following his arrest on wire fraud charges
- He was allegedly involved in a scam through which he and another man claimed to be running a discount ticket business that didn't exist
- Carton thanked his fans and coworkers in a statement after his resignation but called the charges "unfounded"
Craig Carton, the morning sports talk show host arrested in connection with a multimillion-dollar fake ticket scam, has resigned from WFAN.
CBS Radio, which runs WFAN, announced that it had accepted Carton's resignation Wednesday night, a week after the "Boomer & Carton" co-host was arrested on securities and wire fraud charges. He had been suspended indefinitely following his arrest.
"WFAN has accepted Craig Carton’s resignation," said a CBS Radio spokesman in a statement. "We appreciate all of his contributions over the last decade and wish him and his family well during this next phase. We are especially grateful to our dedicated employees, sponsors and listeners for their continued support of THE FAN."
Carton, in his own statement, said "the unfounded legal issues currently plaguing me will only be a distraction to everyone at WFAN and the show I helped build." He also thanked his co-workers, WFAN and CBS Radio executives and family and said he hoped to one day talk about the case with his loyal listeners.
"I have submitted my resignation to the station and they accepted," he said. "I am sad to see this chapter of my life close but know that it will allow me to focus on my family, my well-being and clearing my name, while giving the show the best opportunity to succeed without further disruption."
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He added, "I have nothing but love and respect for my co-host, the show and the entire CBS Radio family and I've always tried to represent them in the best possible light."
CBS Radio said in its statement that it is looking for Carton's replacement on the popular drivetime talk show. Carton's co-host, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, was joined on the air by fellow former QB and broadcaster Phil Simms the day after Carton's arrest.
Carton, 48, was arrested at his home in Manhattan on Sept. 6 after prosecutors alleged he and 41-year-old Michael Wright duped investors into giving them money for a discount ticket brokerage that didn't actually exist. But instead of putting the funds in the ticket business they built a Ponzi-like scheme, using the cash to pay off gambling-related debts or other investors.
Carton, who had hosted the popular sports talk show since 2007, continues to deny the charges. He's currently free on $500,000 bail.
