Cleveland Guardians pitchers have been accused of rigging online bets

Cleveland Guardians players Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in Brooklyn on charges of illegally conspiring to rig bets on pitches placed during games. The two were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to influence sports competitions by bribery, and conspiracy to launder money, among others.

According to the indictment:

The defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types and speeds of throws, and their co-conspirators used that inside information to place bets on those throws. In some cases, the defendants received bribes and illicit payments—sent through third parties—in exchange for rigging the courts.

The scheme involved unnamed third-party bettors who allegedly made more than $400,000 on bets involving Clase and Ortiz. For their part, the shooters received bribes, according to the indictment. In some cases, Klass and Ortiz provided their co-conspirators with money to finance bets.

To orchestrate the scheme, the two used their cell phones during games, which is prohibited by MLB except under extenuating circumstances. The two also face a potential lifetime ban from the sport for violating league rules against betting on their games.

However, if they are convicted, they are unlikely to be released from prison while they are still young enough to compete anyway. Klass and Ortiz face a possible sentence of up to 65 years.