Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted in Brooklyn for allegedly conspiring to fix bets on specific pitches during games. They face several serious charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests through bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
According to the indictment, the pitchers agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw particular types and speeds of pitches. Their co-conspirators then used this insider information to place bets. At times, Clase and Ortiz accepted bribes and kickbacks, funneled through third parties, in exchange for manipulating their pitches.
The scheme reportedly involved unnamed bettors who made over $400,000 on bets that included Clase and Ortiz. The pitchers allegedly received kickbacks from these arrangements and even provided their co-conspirators with money to help fund the bets.
To carry out the scheme, the two used their cellphones during games, which is against MLB regulations, except in special circumstances. They are also at risk of facing a lifetime ban from the sport due to their violations of league rules concerning betting on their own games. If convicted, it’s unlikely they would serve their sentences and still be young enough to play professionally again, as they could face up to 65 years behind bars.
