Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig was convicted on Friday on federal charges of obstructing justice and lying to investigators about his involvement in illegal sports betting. The 35-year-old Cuban-born standout spent six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and a final MLB campaign in 2019 with Cincinnati and Cleveland during which he became a US citizen. Puig played two seasons in the South Korean league, including last year, when he batted .212 with six home runs and 20 runs batted in for the Kiwoom Heroes before returning to the United States with a shoulder injury.
A 13-day trial in federal court in Los Angeles ended with Puig found guilty by a jury on charges stemming from a 2017 probe of an illegal gambling operation run by former minor-league pitcher Wayne Nix. Puig faces up to five years in prison for lying to federal agents and up to 10 years for obstruction of justice. Prosecutors said investigating Nix’s moves to hide income and launder money led to Puig.
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The US Attorney’s Office said Puig placed bets through Nix’s business in May 2019 and by June owed $282,900 for sports gambling losses. Evidence showed Puig placed 899 bets from July through September 2019 on tennis, football, and basketball games through a Costa Rica-based website associated with Nix. In January 2022, federal agents interviewed Puig in the presence of his lawyer via video conference and Puig denied all knowledge of the Nix gambling business.
Prosecutors said Puig lied on an application as part of his US naturalization process in 2019 when he denied ever gambling illegally. Puig reached a plea deal in August 2022 on one count of lying and agreed to pay a $55,000 fine but backed out of the deal, leading to the trial after charges were made in 2023.
© 2024 AFP
