A federal jury in Los Angeles on Friday found former MLB star Yasiel Puig guilty on charges he obstructed justice and lied to investigators about his involvement in an illicit sports betting scheme.

Puig, 35, now faces up to 15 years in prison, although the judge could place him on probation. He will receive his sentence on May 26 and remains out until then. His attorneys told reporters after the verdict that they plan to appeal the decision.

The case was part of the investigation into an illegal sports betting ring led by Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player. According to prosecutors, Puig accrued gambling losses exceeding $1 million in 2019. He paid $200,000 to another client of Nix but did not pay off the remainder.

Prosecutors did not charge Puig with making the bets. Rather, authorities said the former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger lied during a January 2022 interrogation about his connection with a Nix associate. When shown a copy of one of the cashier’s checks by investigators, Puig claimed he did not know the individual who told him to send the checks.

Two months later, authorities said, Puig admitted in a message to a second Nix associate that he lied to federal law enforcement officers. Authorities also said the Cuban native lied while he was seeking American citizenship in 2019, denying he participated in illegal gambling.

​Puig Backed Away from 2022 Plea Deal

Puig was expected to plead guilty in November 2022. However, he opted not to after his agent said she found evidence that would show he was not guilty.

While he played with Cincinnati and Cleveland during the time he made the wagers and made many of them at MLB ballparks, Puig did not place any on baseball games. Instead, he bet on basketball, football, and tennis.

That was Puig’s final season in the majors. However, he has continued to play professionally in Mexico, South Korea, and Venezuela.

​Nix Facing Sentencing, Nevada Ban

Nix entered a guilty plea nearly four years ago in his case. He, too, is expected to be sentenced in the near future on the charges he conspired to conduct an illegal betting ring and filing a false tax return.

The case also led former Vegas gaming executive Scott Sibella to plead guilty to federal charges and lose his gaming license in Nevada.

In December, the Nevada Gaming Control Board took steps to place Nix in the state’s Black Book, which would bar him from visiting the state’s casinos. Nevada officials say he visited the MGM Grand to launder $4 million as part of his sports betting ring.

 

 

 

 

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