Two pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians have been accused of taking bribes to rig pitches they threw at Major League Baseball games.
The pitchers, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, have been charged in connection to the sports betting and money laundering scheme, federal prosecutors and the FBI announced on Sunday.
Prosecutors allege that the scheme drew hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal wagers.
“The defendants’ alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors, but also sullied the reputation of America’s pastime,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia said in a statement. The two players have denied any wrongdoing.
The indictment alleges that Mr Ortiz and Mr Clase co-ordinated in advance with co-conspirators, allowing the co-conspirators and sometimes themselves, to place hundreds of fraudulent bets at online sportsbooks.
Prosecutors say Mr Clase, who they allege joined the scheme around May 2023, and Mr Ortiz, who they allege joined around June 2025, each received kickbacks or bribes from the bettors in exchange for the advanced information.
For example, before a game on 27 June 2025, bettors paid Mr Ortiz $7,000 to throw a rigged pitch and paid Mr Clase the same amount for arranging the rigged pitch, prosecutors allege. Prior to the game, Mr Clase took out $50,000 in cash and gave $15,000 to a co-conspirator who used it to bet on the pitch, the indictment alleges.
In total, Mr Ortiz’s rigged pitches helped his co-conspirators win at least $60,000 from the illegal wagers, while Mr Clase’s helped his co-conspirators bring in at least $400,000, prosecutors allege.
“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,” US Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr, alleged in a press release.
“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 had been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave over the summer while during an MLB investigation involving sports gambling.
The two have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
In a statement, the Cleveland Guardians said it is fully cooperating with law enforcement and the league in their probes.
Luis Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that his client “is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw”.
“He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game—not for anyone and not for anything,” Mr Georgalis told CBS.
The BBC has also contacted Mr Clase’s representative, Kelvin Nova.
While the investigation into Mr Clase was still ongoing prior to the indictments, Mr Nova told Cleveland.com that his client “told me he doesn’t bet”.
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The charges come just weeks after the FBI announced dozens of arrests in connection to two similar sports betting and money laundering schemes that involved a professional NBA player and coach as well as members of New York crime families.