Federal criminal indictments against two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were unsealed Sunday for actions the two Major League Baseball players allegedly took in what prosecutors called “a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball.”
Federal agents said they arrested Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera in Boston Sunday and also revealed the indictment against Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz, as the government continues its high-profile crackdown on gambling in pro sports. Last month, federal prosecutors arrested an NBA player and coach in connection with similar accusations — that members of pro sports teams colluded with gambling insiders to impact game play that gave them a betting advantage.
“The defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services,” Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement.
“They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime,” Nocella said. “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.”
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In late October, Clase’s agent told a Cleveland news site that the pitcher was unconcerned about the allegations against him, saying Clase told him “he doesn’t bet. He’s just waiting right now for MLB to make a decision. He’s practicing in the Dominican Republic right now.”
Allegations swirling around the two Cleveland pitchers have been simmering since July, when both players were placed on non-disciplinary leave by MLB after sportsbooks and integrity monitors flagged suspicious bets around a series of pitches thrown the month before.
The league had spotted unusual betting activity around specific pitches thrown by the two Guardians, including a throw in the dirt by Ortiz in the third inning of a game on June 27 that was the focus of an unusual spike in betting activity.
The case centers on so-called prop bets, which have surged in popularity across the country in recent years. Prop bets allow bettors to wager on an individual players’ performance, often at a granular level. From the number of rebounds grabbed, yards thrown or balls and strikes pitched, bettors have access to a number of stats to put their money on.
“There is vulnerabilities with any kind of betting that is involved in sports, but the prop betting definitely does lower that threshold of how easy this is to potentially carry out,” said Jason Van’t Hof, a sports intelligence analyst who has helped pro leagues flag suspicious plays and unusual betting activity.
CBS News reported last month that a number of pro sports leagues, including the MLB, have already begun discussions about how to eliminate prop bets on their athletes.
It’s a growing part of sports gambling, prompting several states that have legalized sports betting to reconsider allowing for prop bets, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine told CBS News last month.
“It’s clearly taken off, and it’s clearly a problem,” DeWine told CBS News, saying that he’s calling for a ban in his state. “I’ve talked to Commissioner Manfred about this. I think he agrees that they are a problem.”
DeWine said the idea that someone can wager on “one pitch, one shot of the basket, I don’t think that’s what most people thought of at that time” sports gambling was legalized.
The Cleveland case is just the latest since the legalization of sports betting in 2018, with scandals involving players who altered their performance or leaked information to bettors on a steady rise. Along with misconduct, the leagues have also battled a rise in online harassment aimed at athletes across the professional, collegiate and amateur spectrum.
CBS News sat down with NCAA president Charlie Baker in an interview two years ago. He sounded the alarm then that prop bets would pose both a security and integrity threat to the sports world.
“I think prop betting in some respects is one of the parts I worry about the most,” Baker told CBS News at the time.
Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life in 2024 for allegedly leaking information to bettors on his injury status. Last month, federal agents arrested Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier alleging that he tipped off gamblers that he would be leaving a game early with an injury. Rozier’s attorney has disputed the charges against his client.
