After an alleged betting scandal recently hit the NBA, Major League Baseball is now embroiled in its own scandal: Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase (de la Cruz) has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a “scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball games.”
According to CBS News, Clase was arrested at JFK Airport in New York and taken to a Brooklyn courtroom, where he was arraigned on Nov. 13. The pitcher pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Federal prosecutors announced earlier this week that he would face charges
of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. Clase left his native Dominican Republic to arrive in the city to face the charges in person. His attorney, Michael Ferrera, joined him in court after the arrest.After the baseball player agreed to surrender his passport and his attorney stated that he was trying to bring his wife and daughter into the country, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo, citing Clase’s financial means and the necessity of location monitoring, requested a bond of $600,000. He was able to post that and was released.
Clase is the second Guardians player to be accused of fixing games.
Fellow pitcher Luis Ortiz (Ribera) was named in the scheme and arraigned in court on Nov. 12 on the same charges as Clase. He appeared in court, was released on $500,000 bond, and was also assigned a location monitoring device.
The league placed both pitchers on non-disciplinary leave earlier this summer after opening an investigation into their potential involvement in altering their pitches to help bettors.
“Luis Le
andro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz allegedly rigged their pitches in professional baseball games, so that an inner circle, and occasionally themselves, could quietly cash out their winnings,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G Raia, in a written statement. “The defendants’ alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors, but also sullied the reputation of America’s pastime. The FBI will ensure any individual who exploits their position as a professional athlete at the expense of others strikes out.”Both Clase and Ortiz face a maximum sentence of 20
years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years’ imprisonment on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count if they are successfully convicted.RELATED CONTENT: Elevating Your Excellence: Dr. Marc Lamont Hill Stands On His Word And His Scholarship