Two pitchers for the Cleveland Cavaliers have been accused of taking bribes to rig pitches they threw in major league baseball games.
The pitchers, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, have been charged in connection with the sports betting and money laundering scheme, federal prosecutors and the FBI announced on Sunday.
Prosecutors alleged that the scheme drew hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal wagers.
“The alleged greed of the defendants not only established an unfair advantage for selected bettors, but also reduced the reputation of America’s time,” The FBI Assistant in charge in a statement. Both players deny any wrongdoing.
The indictment said that Mr Ortiz and Mr Clase were co-ordained co-conspirators, who allowed co-conspirators and sometimes people to make fraudulent bets at online sportsbooks.
The prosecutors said that Mr Clase, that they are dealing with included in the scheme in May 2023, and each received sidstangs or bribes from bettors in exchange for information.
For example, before a game on 27 June 2025, the Beterms paid Mr Ortiz $ 7,000 to throw the same amount for arranging the rigged pitch, the prosecutors of the arrangement. Before the game, Mr. Clase took $ 50,000 in cash and gave $ 15,000 to a co-conspirator who used this pitch to pitch, the sensational accusation.
In total, Mr. Ortiz’s Rigged Pitches helped his co-conspirators at least $60,000 from illegal wagers, while Mr. Clamerator helped prosecutors at least $400,000.
“The defendants deprived Cleveland’s custodians and major league baseball of their honest services. They set up online bets Josim No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No online bets,” a press release alleged.
“When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us,” Mr. Nocella added.
Mr. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, and Mr. Clase is not currently in US custody, authorities said.
Both players were placed on non-disciplinary charges over the summer during an MLB investigation involving sports gambling.
Both were charged with Wire Fiuds Conspiracy, Honest Services Fraud Wire Conspiracy, Condperiacy to influence war vehicles by bribery, and money laundering.
In a statement, the Cleveland Guardians said it is fully cooperating with law enforcement and the league in their investigations.
Luis Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgaliso, told CBS NEWS, which is affiliated with the BBC, that his client was “not guilty of the two pitches he threw”.
“He has never, and never will, have an improper influence on a game – not for anyone and not for anything,” Mr. Georgalis told CBS.
The BBC also contacted Mr Clase’s representative, Kelvin Nova.
While the investigation into Mr Clase was still ongoing before the charges were laid, Mr Nova told Cleveland.com that his client “told me he wasn’t a bet”.
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The charges come just weeks after the FBI announced several arrests related to two similar sports betting and coaching families in New York.