"Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in Brooklyn on charges that they conspired to illegally rig bets on pitches thrown during games. The two were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, among other things. According to the indictment: The defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types and speeds of pitches, and their co-conspirators used that inside information to place wagers on those pitches."
"In some instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments-funneled through third parties-in exchange for rigging pitches. The scheme involved unnamed third-party bettors who allegedly earned over $400,000 on bets involving Clase and Ortiz. The pitchers, for their part, received kickbacks according to the indictment. In some instances, Clase and Ortiz even provided their coconspirators with money to fund the bets. To organize the scheme, the two used their cellphones during games, which is prohibited by the MLB except under extenuating circumstances."
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face federal indictments in Brooklyn on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment alleges the pitchers agreed in advance with co-conspirators to throw specific pitch types and speeds, and that co-conspirators used that inside information to place wagers. The scheme allegedly produced over $400,000 in winnings for unnamed third-party bettors, with the pitchers receiving kickbacks and sometimes funding bets. The pair reportedly used cellphones during games to organize wagers, a practice prohibited by MLB rules. Convictions could bring heavy prison sentences and potential lifetime bans from baseball.
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