Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted on charges related to a gambling scheme, the latest in a string of betting scandals that have rocked sports. Two and a half weeks after indicting an NBA player and two coaches for their alleged roles in gambling schemes, the United States Attorney's Office out of the Eastern District of New York accused Clase and Ortiz of rigging individual pitches to benefit unnamed bettors.
In some instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments-funneled through third parties-in exchange for rigging pitches. Through this scheme, the defendants defrauded betting platforms, deprived Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians of their honest services, illegally enriched themselves and their co-conspirators, misled the public, and betrayed America's pastime. Clase and Ortiz are facing charges of wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, money laundering conspiracy, and honest services wire fraud conspiracy.