Yasiel Puig convicted of sports betting by the federal government

Former Major League Baseball player Yasiel Puig was sentenced Friday for two federal misdemeanors in connection with an investigation into illegal sports betting. The 35-year-old, known for his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians, was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said. Puig faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and sentencing is scheduled for May 26.

The charges stemmed from a voluntary interview with federal authorities on January 27, 2022 that investigated the extensive illegal gambling operation. Prosecutors alleged that Puig deliberately misled investigators about his involvement in the operation run by former minor leaguer Wayne Nick and the role of Nicks associate Donnie Kadokawa. During the 90-minute session, Puig reportedly denied knowing about Nix’s business or its affiliates, despite his past gambling activities. Prosecutors played an audio recording in court showing Puig admitting that he refused to fully cooperate with investigators at the time.

The case revealed that Puig began placing bets in May 2019 through Kadokawa on behalf of the Knicks’ illegal sports betting business. As of June 2019, Puig owed the operation $282,900. He later sent $200,000 via two cashier’s checks to Nix’s client named Joseph Schottenstein to settle part of the debt. Between July 4 and September 29, 2019, Puig placed an additional 899 bets on tennis, football and basketball games, sometimes placing bets at MLB stadiums before or after games. These activities allegedly created a gambling debt of nearly $1 million, which Puig has not settled.

Puig originally agreed to plead guilty in August 2022 to a felony charge of lying to federal investigators, a deal that would have likely resulted in probation and a fine. However, he pulled out of the deal in November 2022, claiming he should never have pleaded guilty to a crime he claimed he did not commit. His attorney, Kerry Curtis Axel, said the government failed to prove key elements of the case and plans to pursue motions after the trial.

During the nearly two-week trial in downtown Los Angeles, prosecutors called more than a dozen witnesses, including Major League Baseball officials and Kadokawa. They alleged that Puig knowingly made false statements regarding the nature of his bets, the people he placed them with and the repayment of his gambling debts. The defense countered that Puig, who has a third-grade education and untreated mental health issues, lacked a qualified interpreter familiar with his Cuban Spanish dialect and did not have adequate legal counsel during the interview.

Puig played seven seasons in MLB, six of which were spent with the Dodgers, where he earned an All-Star selection in 2014 and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. He later played for the Reds and Guardians in 2019 before continuing his career overseas in South Korea and Mexico. Over 861 MLB games, Puig posted a .277 batting average with 132 home runs, 415 RBI and a .823 OPS.

Nix, who organized the illegal gambling operation, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and subscribing to a false tax return in 2022 and is awaiting sentencing. Puig remains free on personal recognizance until his sentencing on May 26, when a federal judge will determine the length of his prison sentence.