Two Major League Baseball players, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, have been charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. The charges stem from an alleged scheme to rig bets on pitches during MLB games.
The indictment was unsealed at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Ortiz was arrested in Boston and is scheduled for an initial court appearance there on November 10, 2025. He will later be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York. Clase is not currently in U.S. custody.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office, announced the charges.
“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.”
“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.”
According to prosecutors, beginning around May 2023, Clase—then a relief pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians—coordinated with bettors to rig proposition bets on specific pitches he threw during games by providing advance information about pitch type or speed. Bettors used this inside information to place wagers at online sportsbooks; some pitches were intentionally thrown outside the strike zone or into the dirt on purpose.
Clase reportedly received bribes and kickbacks from bettors for his role and sometimes provided funds upfront for betting activity. The indictment cites several examples including one involving a game against the New York Mets within federal jurisdiction in Brooklyn (Eastern District of New York). Prosecutors allege these actions led co-conspirators to win at least $400,000 through fraudulent wagers.
In June 2025, Ortiz—a starting pitcher for Cleveland—joined what authorities describe as a criminal scheme involving both players agreeing ahead of time which pitches would be thrown as balls rather than strikes during two games in exchange for bribes and kickbacks from bettors. For example: before a June 15 game Ortiz agreed to throw a ball on one pitch for $5,000; before another game on June 27 he agreed again for $7,000 while Clase arranged these deals and supplied cash used by co-conspirators to bet on outcomes related directly to these fixed plays.
Prosecutors estimate that Ortiz’s participation enabled co-conspirators’ winnings totaling at least $60,000 via fraudulent bets.
If convicted on all counts each defendant faces up to 20 years imprisonment per count for wire fraud conspiracy charges (including honest services), five years maximum for sports bribery conspiracy charges—and another possible 20 years if found guilty on money laundering conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sean M. Sherman and Eric Silverberg are prosecuting this case with support from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.
