(NewsNation) — A disgraced former NBA referee is backing up reality star Todd Chrisley’s account about the conditions at a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida.

Chrisley spoke with NewsNation, describing unsafe conditions, including rotten, outdated food and squirrels in food storage areas. He even reported a dead cat found in a pantry.

A former reality star on “Chrisley Knows Best,” Todd Chrisley and his wife, Julie Chrisley, are serving sentences for tax fraud. There are rumors Julie may divorce her husband over the crimes, while daughter Savannah Chrisley has now devoted herself to advocating for better conditions in prison.

Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy told NewsNation’s Brian Entin he spent 11 months in that same prison and that Chrisley’s accounts are accurate and conditions are even worse than Chrisley described in some cases.

Who is Tim Donaghy?

Donaghy was a referee for the NBA for 13 years when he was caught at the center of a betting scandal for which he served time in federal prison.

He has also cast doubt on the integrity of the NBA, saying the league favors certain players and that referees make up certain calls to promote or punish athletes.

In a Netflix documentary, Donaghy detailed specific incidents, including retaliation against Allen Iverson after the player threatened a referee and referees were told not to call violations on star players like Michael Jordan.

What was the betting scandal?

In 2007, Donaghy was arrested for betting on and fixing NBA games. Donaghy, who was making $400,000 a year, was accused of betting on more than a hundred games and making $30,000 from gambling.

Donaghy also gave information about which teams to pick to professional gamblers and gave them insider information on referees and players. He was caught when an FBI investigation into organized crime revealed his participation, and the FBI notified the NBA.

He pleaded guilty to the charges, claiming he had a gambling addiction. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

What was the fallout?

Donaghy was fired from the NBA and divorced his wife after the scandal broke. He wrote a memoir while serving time in prison and made a number of allegations about conduct by the NBA.

He repeated many of those claims in a Netflix documentary on the scandal, though the NBA denied any systemic problems and said Donaghy was acting alone.

He also alleges he was assaulted in prison by someone with connections to organized crime due to his testimony at trial.

Donaghy said he worked in the kitchens, and the conditions were even worse than Chrisley described. He said food would come in labeled as “not for human consumption” but would still be served to prisoners. Maggots were also present in food, he said.

“Beans were served three or four times a week. Maggots were in the beans every time they were served. People would pick the maggots out,” Donaghy said.

Donaghy also said medical care was insufficient.

“When I was first there, I was attacked by a guy who had a paint rolling pole, and he hit me with it, and it did damage my knee,” he said. “I needed an operation, and I went to the infirmary to get treatment and get that done, and they just pushed me off and ignored me.”

When it comes to Chrisley, Donaghy told NewsNation he expects the reality star to face retaliation from staff in an attempt to discourage him from speaking out.