Federal authorities today unsealed an indictment charging two current Major League Baseball (MLB) players, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, with running a conspiracy to rig pitches in MLB games for the benefit of corrupt sports bettors, who allegedly won hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent wagers.

The two Cleveland Guardians pitchers face multiple felony counts, including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy.

Allegations of Rigging Pitches for Profit

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the defendants agreed in advance with co-conspirators on specific pitches they would throw, allowing bettors to place

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