Former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick has been formally charged with hosting dog fights on his property.

Vick and three other men were indicted Tuesday and charged with competitive dog fighting and training pit bulls.

The indictment says Vick and the other men started the dog fights in early 2001. Some dogs fought to the death, and other losing dogs were killed by drowning, electrocution, or gun shots.

Authorities have seized dozens of dogs and dog fighting equipment from a home owned by Vick in Virginia. A police informant says Vick was one of the ringleaders.

"He's one of the ones that they call the big boys," said the anonymous informant, about Vick. "That's a large dollar, and they have the money to bet large money. I'm talking about large money, like 30,000 to 40,000, even higher. He's one of the heavyweights."

Vick and the other men face up to six years in prison, and $350,000 in fines, if convicted.