Mets fire clubhouse manager amid allegations of stealing memorabilia

(This story orginally appeared on www.nydailynews.com)

Charlie Samuels, the Mets clubhouse manager for 27 years, was fired by the team Nov. 11 amid allegations that he gambled with mobbed-up bookies, admitted to baseball officials that he bet on baseball, absconded with thousands of dollars worth of players' memorabilia and made "loans" to himself from Mets accounts.

Samuels is under investigation by the NYPD's Organized Crime and Control Bureau and the Queens District Attorney's office for illegal gambling and providing inside information to bookies. Major League Baseball is also investigating Samuels on the gambling allegations.

The club fired Samuels for "conduct in violation of club policies," according to a team statement. "This decision is the result of a thorough internal investigation over the course of several months," the statement said.

Samuels was suspended indefinitely and without pay on Oct. 27, the same day Mets officials inventoried Samuels' office at Citi Field, discovering a large number of current and former players' personal belongings, including players' checkbooks, equipment and personal items, according to sources close to the probe.

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