A trial within the federal case in opposition to former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig is now underway in Los Angeles.
Proceedings formally kicked off in a downtown courtroom early Tuesday, as prosecutors allege Puig made bets with an unlawful playing operation in 2019 after which lied about it to investigators.
Puig positioned the wagers on sporting occasions by way of a enterprise run by former minor league pitcher Wayne Nix, in keeping with prosecutors.
He would submit the bets to an affiliate, who would then relay them to Nix, prosecutors declare. In just some weeks, Puig allegedly collected $282,900 in losses.
Prosecutors allege that after Puig despatched Nix $200,000 to offset the playing debt, he was then given entry to Nix’s sports activities betting web sites, the place he went on to make 899 wagers on tennis, soccer and basketball video games.
In 2022, federal investigators questioned Puig about his position within the playing operation, they usually declare he made false statements to them a number of occasions. They allege Puig later despatched an audio message to an affiliate the place he might be heard admitting to mendacity to investigators in the course of the interview.
Puig is going through three whole prices within the case, one rely of obstruction of justice and two counts of constructing false statements.
Puig initially minimize a cope with prosecutors to shut out the case in November 2022, agreeing to plead responsible to mendacity to federal investigators. However days later, he backed out of the pact, proclaiming his innocence in a press release.
“I need to clear my title,” he mentioned on the time. “I by no means ought to have agreed to plead responsible to a criminal offense I didn’t commit.”
Courtroom paperwork present the trial is anticipated to final round eight or 9 days.
Puig is going through jail time if convicted of the costs.
Puig made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2013 and shortly grew to become one of many group’s hottest gamers. He remained in Los Angeles till 2018, when he was traded to the Reds. He completed his MLB profession with Cleveland.
Puig went on to log at-bats in South Korea in addition to the Mexican League.
