Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, pitchers for The Cleveland Guardians, are facing accusations of accepting bribes from sports bettors. The alleged scheme involved intentionally throwing specific types of pitches, such as throwing balls instead of strikes to guarantee Winning wagers.
TL;DR
- MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face charges for allegedly accepting bribes to manipulate pitches.
- The scheme involved intentionally throwing specific pitches to help gamblers win prop bets.
- Both pitchers are on paid leave pending MLB's investigation into unusual betting activity.
- Charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and fixing sporting events through bribery.
An indictment unsealed Sunday in federal court in Brooklyn alleges that Clase and Ortiz assisted bettors from their native Dominican Republic in winning in-game prop bets concerning pitch speed and outcomes by deliberately throwing specific pitches. Further down and in the dirt, well outside the strike zone.
Both pitchers has been sidelined non-disciplinary paid leave since July, pending Major League Baseball's investigation into what the league described as unusually high in-game betting activity during their pitching appearances.
On Sunday, the FBI apprehended Ortiz, aged 26, at Boston Logan International Airport. He's scheduled to make an appearance in federal court in Boston on Monday. Authorities stated that Clase, 27, has not yet been apprehended.
When approached by The Associated Press, a representative for Ortiz chose not to provide a statement, and a legal counsel for Clase did not promptly respond to requests for remarks.
Clase and Ortiz face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to fix sporting events through bribery, and conspiracy to launder money. Conviction on the most serious charges could result in a prison sentence of up to two decades.
The accusations leveled at Clase and Ortiz represent the most recent significant events in a federal effort to curb betting within professional sports.
Betting scandals have long been a concern for professional sports leagues, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 led to a wave of gambling incidents involving athletes and officials. A recent decision invalidated a federal statute prohibiting sports wagering in the majority of states, thereby enabling online sports betting platforms to secure a significant presence within the sports landscape.
Last month, over 30 individuals, including notable basketball personalities like Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were taken into custody for gambling-related offenses. Sweep that rocked the NBA.
Major League Baseball said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating the unusual betting activity and “has fully cooperated” with authorities. “We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing,” its statement said.
In a statement, the Guardians said: “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action, We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigations continue.”