Boomer On Carton Resignation: WFAN Morning Show To Move Forward

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The "Boomer & Carton Show" is no more. It's time for a new chapter in the long history of morning programming excellence on WFAN.

Boomer Esiason said as much on Thursday morning when he addressed the news that long-time radio partner Craig Carton has resigned from WFAN following his arrest last week on conspiracy and securities fraud charges in an alleged ticket-selling scam.

MORE: Craig Carton Resigns From WFAN, Calls Federal Charges 'Unfounded'

Carton, who had worked with Esiason for 10 years on the popular program, released a statement on Wednesday night announcing his resignation. He thanked everyone at CBS Radio and the fans, and also called the charges against him "unfounded." The 48-year-old has vowed to clear his name.

Esiason opened Thursday's show by talking about Carton and what's next for WFAN's morning show.

"I gotta tell you something: I think it's a good move for Craig, and I think for him and his family," Esiason said of the resignation. "He's got to focus supremely on that. That's the one thing he has to take care of. And that's the one thing we want him to do. We want him and his family to get through this. He's got to put all of his energy in that."

While Esiason said he will continue to support his friend, he is relieved for all involved at WFAN.

"By resigning, I believe, he takes a lot of pressure off of all of us here at WFAN, his co-workers and everything else. I read the statement and then I heard the statement from Mark Chernoff and I don't know what else to say. He's got to get his life in order. He's got to get it right," Esiason said.

"I wouldn't be surprised someday, somewhere, somehow, (Carton) will be behind a microphone somewhere. I don't know where. I don't know when. I don't know if I'll be a part of that or not. But I do know that he has resigned from WFAN, so that chapter at least, the Boomer & Carton chapter, is now closed here," Esiason added.

Esiason vowed to keep the morning show going in the right direction. Since the news of Carton's arrest and subsequent suspension, WFAN has used guests co-hosts such as Phil Simms and Brandon Tierney. Update anchor Jerry Recco filled in Wednesday and Thursday.

"We, as I said last week, have to kind of move forward. We'll move forward as best we know how. We'll try to deliver the best shows we know how to do and we'll talk about all the things that sports fans in the greater New York area want to delve into," Esiason said.

Esiason admitted Thursday was a very sad day for all involved with the Boomer & Carton Show, a program that has been one of the most popular on radio for a decade.

"It's the end of Boomer & Carton. For 10 years I sat next to somebody who I think, and I still believe this, is one of the greatest personalities, radio personalities that we'll have ever seen," he said. "I had certainly the privilege for 10 years to sit next to him and watch him to do his thing every single day for four hours. I wish Craig and his family nothing but the best. I want him to put all his energy into fighting and I think we have to put all of our energy into this radio program."

In a civil complaint filed Wednesday, Sept. 6 with the U.S. District Court's Southern District of New York, the Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that beginning in or around the middle of 2016, Carton accrued millions of dollars' worth of gambling-related debts to casinos and other third parties.

He allegedly solicited investments in ticket reselling enterprises purportedly engaged in purchasing and reselling large blocks of concert tickets for substantial profits, either on his own or through New York-based businessman Joseph Meli.

The civil complaint states the pair presented "millions of dollars' worth of tickets to upcoming concerts by the artists Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Roger Waters, Metallica and Barbra Streisand. In reality, no such agreements with the concert promoter or venue existed, and the signatures for the concert promoter or venue were forged.

"In certain cases, Meli provided these fake agreements to Carton, for the express purpose of having Carton pass them along to an investor," the complaint states. "Carton provided to another investor documents referencing a purported agreement by an entity controlled by Meli to purchase millions of dollars' worth of Adele concert tickets at face value, directly from Adele's management company."

The complaint alleges that together Meli and Carton stole $3.6 million. Carton alone is accused of stealing $2 million from a single investor.

Carton is due back in court Oct. 6.

CBS Radio is the parent company of WFAN, 1010 WINS and WCBS 880.