Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in Brooklyn on charges that she illegally conspired rig betting on pitches thrown during games. The two were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sports competitions by bribery and money laundering conspiracy, among other charges.
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 prior knowledge to place bets on those pitches. In some cases, the defendants received bribes and kickbacks – through third parties – in exchange for manipulating pitches.
The scheme involved unnamed third-party gamblers who reportedly made more than $400,000 on bets involving Clase and Ortiz. The pitchers in turn received kickbacks, according to the indictment. In some cases, Clase and Ortiz even provided their co-conspirators with money to finance the bets.
To orchestrate the scheme, the two used their cellphones during games, which is prohibited by the MLB except under extenuating circumstances. The two also face a possible lifetime ban from the sport for violating the league’s rules against betting on their own matches.
However, if convicted, they are unlikely to be released from prison while still young enough to compete. Clase and Ortiz face a possible sentence of up to 65 years.
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