Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, have been charged with conspiracy to influence sporting contests with bribery for their alleged roles played in a rigged betting scheme.

Alongside the conspiracy to influence sporting contests, the pair were also charged with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.

The two Major League Baseball (MLB) players have been accused of working in tandem with co-conspirators on specific pitches they would throw during games in advance.

The indictments were unsealed at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on Sunday, 9 November.

The offences are alleged to have begun in or around May 2023, with Clase, a relief pitcher, agreeing with sports bettors to rig prop bets. It is alleged that customers would place bets on the speed and type of pitches.

It is also alleged that some of the rigged pitches were co-ordinated during the game.

Clase’s faulty throws often came on the first pitch at-bat, it has been alleged, and to make sure his pitches were called as ‘balls’ (a legal pitch that is not hit by the batter but is not a strike), they were thrown into the dirt outside of the strike zone. Bettors are believed to have placed bets worth thousands of dollars.

It has also been alleged that Clase not only received “bribes and kickbacks” from bettors for the advanced, non-public information, but also gave them money to fund the scheme.

Clause is said to have helped bettors win at least $400,000 (£303,665) in “fraudulent wagers”.

The accusations against Ortiz stem from games played in or around June 2025, the time in which he is said to have joined the scheme.

A starting pitcher for the Guardians, Ortiz was instructed to throw balls instead of strikes in two games.

The first, against the Seattle Sounders on 15 June, saw Ortiz allegedly paid $5,000 for throwing the rigged pitch and Clase the same amount for arranging the pitch.

On 27 June, Ortiz was said to have been paid $7,000 to throw a rigged pitch and Clase once again paid the same amount to arrange the pitch – the Guardians played the St Louis Cardinals in a three-game series starting the next day.

Prior to the game, Clase is said to have withdrawn $50,000 and gave $15,000 to a bettor to put the money on Ortiz’s rigged pitch.

In total, Ortiz is alleged to have helped bettors win $60,000.

Ortiz was arrested on 9 November and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date, while Clase was not in US custody at the time the press release was distributed.

If found guilty, both face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.

Joseph Nocella, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said: “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.

“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.”

The duo’s charges come just weeks after a trio of NBA players were arrested as part of an illegal gambling investigation.

The post Major League Baseball duo accused of spot-fixing by US Attorney’s Office first appeared on EGR Intel.