Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, have been accused of accepting bribes from sports bettors to manipulate their pitching during games. The allegations suggest that they deliberately threw certain pitches, such as balls instead of strikes, to influence the outcomes of prop bets on pitch speed and results.
An indictment unveiled in federal court in Brooklyn revealed that Clase and Ortiz allegedly assisted bettors from their homeland, the Dominican Republic, in winning bets by intentionally pitching slower and inaccurately, significantly deviating from the strike zone. Both players have been on paid leave without disciplinary action since July as Major League Baseball probed unusual betting patterns during their games.
Ortiz, aged 26, was apprehended by the FBI at Boston Logan International Airport and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, aged 27, remains at large, according to authorities.
Legal representatives for Ortiz and Clase have refrained from providing comments on the matter. The two pitchers face charges of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to manipulate sporting events through bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, they could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for the primary charges.
The accusations against Clase and Ortiz represent the most recent revelations in a federal crackdown on sports betting irregularities. Betting scandals have posed ongoing challenges for professional sports leagues, with a surge in gambling-related incidents following a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 that abolished a federal ban on sports betting in most states, leading to a surge in online sportsbook activities.
Just recently, over 30 individuals, including notable basketball figures like Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, were detained in a gambling investigation that rattled the NBA.
Major League Baseball confirmed collaborating with federal law enforcement during its investigation into the suspicious betting trends and reiterated its commitment to supporting the ongoing inquiries. The Guardians also pledged full cooperation with law enforcement and Major League Baseball as the investigations progress.