Two Major League Baseball players, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, have been charged in federal court with multiple offenses related to a scheme to rig bets on pitches during MLB games. The indictment, unsealed at the Brooklyn federal courthouse, accuses both players of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.
Luis Leandro Ortiz was arrested in Boston and is scheduled for an initial appearance in federal court there on November 10. He will later be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York. Emmanuel Clase is not currently in U.S. custody.
United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., for the Eastern District of New York, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia 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, starting around May 2023 Clase worked with sports bettors to manipulate proposition bets based on his pitching performance while playing for the Cleveland Guardians. Bettors wagered on specific details such as pitch speed or type after receiving advance information from Clase about how he would pitch during certain at-bats—sometimes even coordinating during live games.
Clase reportedly received bribes and kickbacks from these bettors for providing non-public information about his future pitches; he also sometimes supplied funds upfront for use in placing fraudulent wagers. One cited example involved a game against the New York Mets within New York’s Eastern District jurisdiction.
In June 2025 Ortiz joined this scheme as a starting pitcher for Cleveland alongside Clase. Prosecutors allege Ortiz agreed before two separate games—on June 15 and June 27—to throw balls instead of strikes on designated pitches after arranging bribes with co-conspirators: $5,000 per player for one game; $7,000 each for another instance later that month.
On June 27 specifically, records indicate Clase withdrew $50,000 cash before giving $15,000 to a co-conspirator who used it to place bets tied directly to Ortiz’s actions during that day’s game.
Authorities estimate these activities led bettors working with Clase alone to win at least $400,000 through fraudulent wagers; similar schemes involving Ortiz resulted in at least $60,000 won illicitly by co-conspirators.
If convicted on all counts—including wire fraud conspiracy (20 years maximum), honest services wire fraud conspiracy (20 years), conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery (five years), and money laundering conspiracy (20 years)—each defendant faces significant prison time.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sean M. Sherman and Eric Silverberg from the Public Integrity Section.
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