Craig Carton


Craig Harris Carton is an American former radio personality best known as the co-host of the Boomer and Carton sports radio program on WFAN in New York City from 2007 to 2017. His tenure at the radio station ended after he was arrested in September 2017 on charges of securities fraud and wire fraud for operating a concert ticket Ponzi scheme.
On March 29, 2018, amid his legal battles, Carton launched his new program, "Carton and Friends" with Michelle Serpico on the FNTSY Sports Network, an online broadcaster. In November 2018, Carton was convicted of all charges. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and three years' probation, and was ordered to pay $5 million in restitution.

Early and personal life

Craig Harris Carton was born on January 31, 1969 in New Rochelle, New York. In March 2019, Carton revealed that he was raped several times as a child. While in his teens, he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. He graduated from New Rochelle High School and the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1991. He was also a member of the Pi chapter of the Psi Upsilon fraternity during his time at Syracuse.
While in school, he worked on the cable television show Views From the Bridge.
On June 4, 2013, his first book, Loudmouth: Tales of Sports, Sex, and Salvation from Behind the Microphone, was released.
On June 6, 2013, Carton launched the Tic Toc Stop Foundation, aimed at wiping out Tourette syndrome. Fundraising includes a bowling event known as "Strike Out Tourettes".
Carton and his wife, Kim, have four children. The couple separated after his 2017 arrest.

Career

Carton began his broadcasting career in 1991 at WGR Radio in Buffalo, New York. He moved from Buffalo to WWWE in Cleveland, Ohio in 1992, and later to 610-WIP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in April 1993. He was a brash weekend host and nicknamed "The Kid." He filled in on WIP's Morning Show and was familiar with the Sports Talk/Guy Talk format. He was the first person to break the news story that the Philadelphia Eagles had been sold to Hollywood producer Jeffrey Lurie.
Carton left the East Coast for Denver, Colorado, working mostly at KKFN 950 AM, "The Fan". His morning show took off immediately despite his never getting along with the program director, Tim Spence. He was the highest-rated host in the station's history, which resulted in his being offered the morning slot on KBPI Radio. He quickly became the top-rated local morning show in Denver radio. Eventually he resigned and left Denver to care for his wife, Kim, who was pregnant with their first child, Mickey.
In late 2000, Carton became Scott Kaplan's replacement on WNEW-FM's "Sports Guys" morning radio program in New York City. He was a "Sports Guy" for one year. He worked with Sid Rosenberg and Blain Ensley and then just Ensley when Rosenberg left. Carton took the show in a new direction, adding stunts as an on-the-air cockfight and "Pastapalooza". Carton was also broadcasting live with Ensley on WNEW during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
In July 2002, Carton, then became a "Jersey Guy" on New Jersey 101.5.
He left WKXW in August 2007 for a morning opening at WFAN as Boomer Esiason's co-host when Esiason was hired as the permanent replacement for Imus in the Morning. The program, called Boomer and Carton, reached number one in the Arbitron Ratings within a year, a ranking that Imus had not achieved since 1993. The show was simulcast on MSG Network from September 14, 2010 until September 11, 2013. Starting in January 2014, the show has been simulcast on the CBS Sports Network.
In 2012, he was the host of Spike's MMA Uncensored Live.
On March 8, 2013, Carton and Esiason were the radio announcer and color analyst, respectively, for an NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards.
Carton began hosting a podcast, Hello My Name is Craig, on December 4, 2017. His first guest was Anthony Scaramucci.
On March 29, 2018, Carton returned to radio as host of Carton & Friends on FNTSY Sports Network, a Canadian specialty television and streaming service. In May 2018, Sports Byline USA acquired rights to syndicate the program on terrestrial radio.

Arrest and conviction for Ponzi scheme

On September 6, 2017, Carton was arrested by federal agents at his home in New York City on criminal charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Carton, Michael Wright, and Joseph Meli are alleged to have run a Ponzi scheme that defrauded $5.6 million from investors by falsely claiming they had access to millions of dollars of concert tickets at face value through non-existent agreements with concert promoters. Carton allegedly used the funds from new investors to cover millions of dollars' worth of gambling debts and to repay earlier investors, according to a parallel civil complaint filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. After receiving an indefinite suspension from WFAN, Carton resigned from the station on September 13, ending his ten-year stint as co-host of Boomer and Carton, leaving Esiason as the sole host. Carton said he made the decision to give his former show "the best opportunity to succeed without further disruption". He was convicted November 7, 2018, in Manhattan federal court after a week long trial. Sentencing was scheduled for February 27, 2019, before being delayed until March 15. Ultimately, Carton was sentenced on April 5 to three and a half years in prison and ordered to make restitution of $5 million. He reported to the United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg minimum-security satellite camp on June 17, 2019, to begin serving a minimum 36 months of a maximum 42-month sentence.
Carton was released from prison on June 23, 2020.
It was announced in the fall of 2019 that a Craig Carton movie was being filmed by Martin Dunn and Marie McGovern for HBO.
Carton told friends he was working as a chef within USP Lewisburg.

Controversy and stunts

610-WIP