The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging two Major League Baseball pitchers, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, with a scheme to rig pitches and profit from illicit sports wagers. The complaint alleges a coordinated conspiracy that funneled inside information to bettors, produced hundreds of thousands in fraudulent winnings, and involved bribes, kickbacks, and money laundering. Federal prosecutors outlined specific instances, dates, and cash flows tied to the alleged crimes, and one defendant was arrested while the other remains at large. The announcement includes statements from law enforcement stressing the damage to the sport and the public trust.
Federal authorities unsealed the indictment at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn and charged the two defendants with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. Ortiz was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts and is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on November 10, 2025; he will be arraigned later in the Eastern District of New York. Clase is currently not in U.S. custody, according to the indictment filings.
“Professional athletes, like Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz hold a position of trust—not only with their teammates and their professional leagues, but with fans who believe in fair play,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches. In doing so, 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. And they betrayed America’s pastime. Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. 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. Today’s charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means.”
Prosecutors explained that beginning around May 2023, Clase, a relief pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, provided non-public information about the speed and type of pitches he would throw. Bettors aligned with the scheme used that advance knowledge to place prop bets on pitch details, often wagering thousands at online sportsbooks. Many of the pitches allegedly manipulated were first-pitch deliveries and some were deliberately thrown “in the dirt” or well outside the strike zone to trigger specific prop outcomes.
According to the indictment, Clase sometimes received bribes and kickbacks in exchange for the inside information and even provided funds in advance to bankroll wagers. The indictment includes an example from a game in the Eastern District of New York and estimates that the bettors won at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers tied to pitches Clase allegedly rigged. Those allegations appear in multiple counts that outline coordinated behavior across games and bettors.
In or around June 2025 the indictment alleges that Ortiz, a starting pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, joined the scheme with Clase. Before a game on June 15, 2025, Ortiz allegedly agreed to throw a ball on a particular pitch in exchange for a $5,000 bribe, with Clase receiving a matching $5,000 for arranging the plan. On June 27, 2025, Ortiz allegedly agreed to rig a second pitch for a $7,000 bribe, with Clase again paid $7,000 for his role in coordinating the wager.
The filing further alleges an instance where Clase withdrew $50,000 in cash and provided $15,000 to a co-conspirator, who used that money to place bets on Ortiz’s rigged pitch during the game. Prosecutors attribute at least $60,000 in fraudulent winnings to Ortiz’s involvement, and they tie those transactions to an overall pattern of bribes, kickbacks, and money flows consistent with money laundering and conspiracy counts.
“Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz allegedly rigged their pitches in professional baseball games, so that an inner circle, and occasionally themselves, could quietly cash out their winnings,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The defendants’ alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors, but also sullied the reputation of America’s pastime. The FBI will ensure any individual who exploits their position as a professional athlete at the expense of others strikes out.”
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years’ imprisonment on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count. The Office’s Public Integrity Section is handling the government’s case, with Assistant United States Attorneys Sean M. Sherman and Eric Silverberg leading the prosecution, assisted by Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.
Prosecutors emphasized the broader stakes: beyond criminal liability, the alleged conduct strikes at fairness in competition and the confidence fans and leagues place in professional athletes. The indictment lays out how specific pitches, timing, and cash movements allegedly fit together to enable fraudulent betting, and it documents communications and transactions that federal prosecutors say support the conspiracy charges.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
