Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz had been charged with fraud, conspiracy and bribery stemming from an alleged scheme to rig particular person pitches that led to gamblers successful a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars}, in accordance with an indictment unsealed by federal prosecutors Sunday.
Ortiz was arrested Sunday morning in Boston and can seem in court docket Monday, in accordance with prosecutors, and Clase just isn’t in custody.
Prosecutors on the Jap District of New York, the Brooklyn-based United States Lawyer’s workplace that levied comparable prices in opposition to NBA participant Terry Rozier and a number of coaches in late October, mentioned within the indictment that Clase organized with a bettor as early as Could 2023 to throw particular pitches for balls so the gambler might place prop bets and revenue. Ortiz, prosecutors mentioned, joined the scheme in June 2025, and between the 2, gamblers gained no less than $450,000 wagering on their pitches, whereas Clase and Ortiz got kickbacks for his or her participation.
Clase and Ortiz every might withstand 20 years in jail for wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for sincere companies wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for cash laundering conspiracy and 5 years for conspiracy to affect sporting occasions by bribery, in accordance with prosecutors.
“The defendants disadvantaged the Cleveland Guardians and Main League Baseball of their sincere companies,” Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. Lawyer for the Jap District, mentioned in a press release. “They defrauded the web betting platforms the place the bets had been positioned. And so they betrayed America’s pastime. Integrity, honesty and truthful play are a part of the DNA {of professional} sports activities. When corruption infiltrates the game, it brings shame not solely to the members however damages the general public belief in an establishment that’s very important and expensive to all of us.”
In a press release to ESPN, Ortiz’s lawyer Chris Georgalis denied the costs, saying his consumer “has by no means, and would by no means, improperly affect a sport — not for anybody and never for something.” A message to Clase’s lawyer searching for remark has not been returned.
Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time Reliever of the Yr, and Ortiz had been positioned on non-disciplinary paid depart by MLB in July after betting integrity companies flagged irregular wagering on a pair of pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.
Whereas the pervasiveness of legalized playing has upended the sports activities world, the allegations in opposition to Clase and Ortiz are probably the most extreme for the game since Pete Rose agreed to a lifetime ban for betting on baseball in 1989. MLB’s guidelines in opposition to playing on the game are strict, and Clase and Ortiz might face lifetime bans much like the one delivered final yr to San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano, who positioned almost 400 bets on baseball.
In a press release, MLB mentioned: “MLB contacted federal legislation enforcement on the outset of its investigation and has absolutely cooperated all through the method. We’re conscious of the indictment and as we speak’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing.” The Guardians in a press release mentioned they had been conscious of the costs and can proceed to cooperate with legislation enforcement and MLB.
In a 23-page indictment, prosecutors outlined a scheme perpetrated by Clase, the 27-year-old right-hander considered top-of-the-line aid pitchers in baseball. In accordance with prosecutors, Clase would commonly throw balls as a substitute of strikes and sliders quite than cutters on the primary pitch of at-bats through which bettors would wager on the person pitches to be balls or below a selected miles-per-hour threshold. The proposition bets, in accordance with the indictment, would typically be stacked in a parlay, resulting in larger winnings.
Clase offered cash to bettors to gamble on his behalf, texted with bettors throughout video games and later was joined within the scheme by Ortiz, a 26-year-old right-hander who joined the Guardians in a December 2024 commerce, the indictment mentioned.
The earliest instance, in accordance with the indictment, got here in a Could 19, 2023, sport between the Guardians and New York Mets, through which Clase relayed info that he would throw a pitch sooner than 94.95 mph. Bettors, prosecutors mentioned, gained $27,000 on that pitch. Weeks later, bettors added a leg to a parlay for a pitch to be a ball slower than 94.95 mph — and gained $38,000 when Clase spiked a slider no less than 5 toes in entrance of dwelling plate.
By April 2025, the indictment mentioned, Clase “requested and acquired bribe and kickback funds in change for agreeing to throw particular pitches.” Someday after throwing a pitch that hit the grass in entrance of dwelling plate — about 10 toes quick — Clase texted one bettor asking if he had gambled on the pitch, in accordance with the indictment. When the bettor affirmed he had, the indictment mentioned, Clase requested for cash to be despatched to the Dominican Republic — the place Clase, Ortiz and the bettor are from — “for repairs on the nation home.”
Throughout the three years of the alleged scheme, prosecutors mentioned, one bettor positioned 16 parlays through which one leg was Clase throwing a ball. Of the eight pitches concerned in these bets, seven had been profitable. The eighth was a pitch within the grime swung at by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages.
Ortiz’s involvement began June 15, 2025, in accordance with the indictment, when he agreed with Clase that he could be paid $5,000 to throw the primary pitch of the second inning for a ball. Clase, prosecutors mentioned, acquired $5,000 for arranging the alleged fraud. Two bettors wagered a complete of $13,000 on the pitch, the indictment mentioned. When Ortiz acquired a cost of 90,000 Dominican pesos — roughly $1,400 — Clase directed him to lie in regards to the function of the cash if requested and say “this cost is for a horse,” in accordance with prosecutors.
“Okay, excellent,” Ortiz mentioned.
On June 27, 2025, Ortiz agreed to throw the primary pitch of the third inning for a ball in change for $7,000, the indictment mentioned. Financial institution safety footage captured Clase withdrawing $50,000 in money, of which he gave $15,000 to one of many bettors, who was in Cleveland that day, to wager on the pitch, in accordance with prosecutors. The bettors positioned $18,000 on the pitch, which was far exterior the strike zone, in accordance with the indictment.
Georgalis disputed the indictment’s findings in his assertion.
“As Luis’ protection group extensively defined and documented to the federal government earlier than these prices had been introduced, Luis’ funds and different transfers of cash between him and people within the Dominican Republic had been for lawful actions,” the assertion learn. “Notably, the indictment fully lacks any alleged proof connecting Luis to those alleged bettors or demonstrating any purposeful involvement in a scheme.
There is no such thing as a credible proof Luis knowingly did something apart from attempt to win video games, with each pitch and in each inning. Luis appears ahead to preventing these prices in court docket. The federal government’s case is weak and circumstantial. He’ll defend himself, and he can be prevail.”
Clase has made greater than $12 million over a significant league profession that has spanned seven seasons and was scheduled to make $6.4 million in 2026. Ortiz’s wage in 2025 was $782,600.