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Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of accepting bribes to fix bets in Major League Baseball games. Clase faces accusations, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, influencing sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, stemming from an alleged scheme to manipulate pitches during Guardians games. He was arrested earlier in the day at JFK Airport in New York after arriving from the Dominican Republic.
Clase, a three-time All-Star, was released on $600,000 bail secured by his Cleveland home and will be subject to GPS monitoring. A federal magistrate cited Clase’s family ties in the Dominican Republic and his $20 million contract as factors raising flight risk. Pretrial services had not recommended monitoring, noting his decade-long work history in the U.S. Clase’s attorney argued his voluntary flight from the Dominican Republic for arraignment showed he was not a flight risk. The pitcher is also barred from gambling while awaiting trial.
Clase appeared in court in casual attire, accompanied by a Spanish-language translator, and affirmed his right to remain silent. The charges come alongside those against fellow Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz, who is accused of participating in the same scheme. Prosecutors allege the pair accepted kickbacks, including $12,000 each, for deliberately throwing balls instead of strikes in two games over the summer, totaling over $400,000 in winnings for gamblers.
U.S. authorities said the actions of Clase and Ortiz undermined the integrity of professional baseball, deceiving both the Cleveland Guardians and betting platforms. Ortiz was arraigned on Wednesday, released on $500,000 bond, and also subject to location monitoring and gambling restrictions. Both players are scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 2.
This case marks the second major illegal sports gambling prosecution in the Eastern District of New York in recent weeks. Last month, former NBA player Damon Jones pleaded not guilty to tipping off gamblers, and current Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier faces charges for allegedly exiting at least one game early to benefit bettors.
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