Ask Onix
Federal indictment targets two Cleveland Guardians pitchers in betting scandal
Federal prosecutors and the FBI unveiled charges Sunday against Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, accusing them of participating in a sports betting and money laundering operation that manipulated pitch outcomes in Major League Baseball games. Authorities allege the scheme generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit wagers, undermining the integrity of professional baseball.
Allegations of coordinated pitch-rigging
According to the indictment, Ortiz and Clase colluded with unidentified co-conspirators to prearrange specific pitch outcomes, enabling bettors-including themselves-to place fraudulent wagers through online sportsbooks. Prosecutors claim Clase joined the scheme in May 2023, while Ortiz became involved around June 2025.
A June 27, 2025, game serves as a key example: prosecutors allege bettors paid each pitcher $7,000 to execute a rigged pitch. Prior to the game, Clase withdrew $50,000 in cash, handing $15,000 to a co-conspirator to place bets on the predetermined outcome.
Financial scale of the operation
The indictment estimates that Ortiz's rigged pitches netted co-conspirators at least $60,000 in illicit profits, while Clase's involvement yielded over $400,000. Both pitchers allegedly received kickbacks in exchange for their roles in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. condemned the alleged actions, stating, "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." He added that corruption in sports "damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us."
Legal and organizational responses
Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, while Clase remains outside U.S. custody, authorities confirmed. Both players had been placed on paid administrative leave earlier this summer amid an ongoing MLB investigation into sports gambling ties.
The pitchers face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. The Cleveland Guardians organization released a statement pledging full cooperation with law enforcement and league investigators.
Defense reactions
Attorney Chris Georgalis, representing Ortiz, asserted his client's innocence to CBS News, the BBC's U.S. partner: "Luis Ortiz is innocent of the charges related to two pitches he threw. He has never, and would never, improperly influence a game-not for anyone and not for anything."
Clase's representative, Kelvin Nova, previously told Cleveland.com that his client "told me he doesn't bet." The BBC has reached out to Nova for further comment.
Broader crackdown on sports betting corruption
This indictment follows recent FBI actions against similar schemes, including arrests tied to an NBA player, a professional coach, and members of New York crime families. The cases underscore escalating federal scrutiny of illegal sports betting networks infiltrating professional leagues.
"The defendants' alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors, but also sullied the reputation of America's pastime."
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia
