Executive Summary
- Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase was arrested by the FBI at JFK Airport in New York on Thursday.
- Clase and teammate Luis Ortiz face federal charges, including wire fraud and bribery, for allegedly rigging bets on MLB games.
- The indictment alleges the players accepted thousands in bribes to influence specific pitches, helping gamblers win at least $460,000.
- Ortiz was previously arrested, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $500,000 bond.
- Both players’ lawyers have stated their clients are innocent of the charges.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase was arrested by the FBI on Thursday upon his arrival at New York’s JFK Airport in connection with an alleged scheme to rig bets on Major League Baseball games. Clase and his teammate, pitcher Luis Ortiz, face multiple federal charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and bribery.
According to an indictment unsealed in Brooklyn, the two players are accused of accepting thousands of dollars in bribes from bettors in their native Dominican Republic. The scheme allegedly involved influencing the outcome of specific in-game events, such as the type and speed of certain pitches, which generated at least $460,000 in winnings for the gamblers.
Luis Ortiz was arrested on Sunday and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment earlier this week. He was released on a $500,000 bond with conditions that include location monitoring and a ban on gambling. His travel is restricted to New York City, Long Island, Massachusetts, and Ohio. Clase, 27, is scheduled for his arraignment in Brooklyn.
Attorneys for both players have maintained their clients’ innocence. Michael J. Ferrara, representing Clase, stated that his client “is innocent of all charges and looks forward to clearing his name in court.” Similarly, Chris Georgalis, Ortiz’s lawyer, said his client “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game.”
Major League Baseball placed both players on non-disciplinary paid leave in July after its investigation began into what it described as unusually high betting activity. In response to the allegations, MLB and its sportsbook partners recently announced a new $200 nationwide betting limit on individual pitches and have banned such wagers from being included in parlays.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that the pitchers “betrayed America’s pastime,” emphasizing that corruption in professional sports damages public trust. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.