Trial starts for Cleveland Guardians pitchers accused of sports betting fraud
Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz face federal trial in New York for allegedly accepting bribes to manipulate pitch outcomes.
A federal trial begins Monday in Brooklyn for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, two former Cleveland Guardians pitchers accused of participating in a scheme to manipulate in-game events for bettors. Prosecutors allege the pair accepted payments from gamblers to provide insider information on pitch speed and outcomes, resulting in at least $460,000 in illicit betting gains.
Clase and Ortiz, currently on unpaid leave, face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and bribery. The indictment claims the scheme originated in 2023 with Clase, who allegedly recruited Ortiz to participate two years later. Both players have entered pleas of not guilty. Defense attorneys maintain that the pitchers’ varying pitch patterns were legitimate strategic choices rather than evidence of collusion.
The trial is expected to last roughly one month, with testimony anticipated from fellow professional players and team executives. The proceedings follow an investigation by Major League Baseball, which alerted federal authorities after detecting suspicious betting patterns. If convicted, the athletes face significant legal penalties alongside the potential end of their professional careers.