Two MLB players have been charged with fraud and money laundering over an scheme to rig pitch prop bets with corrupt sports bettors.
Two MLB players have been charged with multiple counts of fraud and money laundering over a scheme to rig pitch prop bets with corrupt sports bettors, US federal prosecutors announced yesterday (9 November).
Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, were charged at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
Ortiz was arrested in Boston yesterday (9 November), while Clase is not currently in US custody.
The charges relate to an alleged scheme in which the two players agreed in advance with co-conspirators on specific pitches they would throw in MLB games, allowing the bettors to place fixed wagers on pitch speed and type at online sportsbooks.
The news comes in the wake of the recent NBA scandal, which saw former players and coaches implicated in a mob-linked sports rigging plot.
Joseph Nocella Jr, United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said: “Professional athletes, like Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz hold a position of trust – not only with their teammates and their professional leagues, but with fans who believe in fair play.
“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches. In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime.
MLB pitch-rigging plot began in 2023
According to the indictment, Clase began the scheme around May 2023 as a relief pitcher, coordinating with corrupt sports bettors to rig proposition bets on particular pitches he threw.
The bettors wagered based on information they knew in advance by coordinating with Clase, sometimes even during games. Clase often threw rigged pitches on the first pitch of an at-bat and frequently threw them in the dirt to ensure they were called as balls.
Clase received bribes and kickbacks from the bettors in exchange for providing advance information and also sometimes provided money to the bettors to fund the scheme. In total, prosecutors allege Clase caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers.
Ortiz allegedly joined the criminal scheme around June 2025. Together with Clase, he agreed to throw balls on pitches in two games in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.
Before a game on 15 June 2025, Ortiz agreed to throw a ball on a particular pitch in exchange for a $5,000 bribe, with Clase receiving $5,000 for arranging it.
A similar arrangement took place on 27 June 2025 for a $7,000 bribe each. Ortiz allegedly caused co-conspirator bettors to win at least $60,000 in fraudulent bets.
Each of the MLB stars faces a maximum of up to 65 years in jail if they are convicted on all counts.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia added: “Luis Leandro 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.
“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.”