Former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig has been found guilty in federal court for lying to prosecutors about his involvement with an illegal sports betting operation. The 35-year-old, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, was convicted on one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements after a 13-day trial. Sentencing is scheduled for May, with Puig facing up to 10 years in prison for obstruction and up to five years for false statements.
Betting Through an Underground Bookie
Puig’s gambling activity centered around underground bookmaker Wayne Nix, who previously pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal sports gambling business and filing a false tax return. Nix attempted to launder money through Las Vegas casinos, which led to the former MGM Grand president receiving probation.
In May 2019, Puig began placing bets through Donny Kadokawa, a sub-agent for Nix. Texts and calls between Puig and Kadokawa were used to place wagers on Puig’s behalf. By June 2019, Puig reportedly owed Nix $282,900, and, following instructions from Kadokawa and Benny Bonilla, sent two $100,000 cashier’s checks to Nix’s gambling client Joseph Schottenstein.
Gambling Debt Approaches $1 Million
Between July and September 2019, Puig placed 899 additional bets on sports including tennis, football, and basketball, many of them around MLB ballparks before and after games he played. His total gambling debt to Nix eventually approached $1 million, which remains unpaid.
Federal investigators interviewed Puig in January 2022, during which he repeatedly lied about his gambling activities. He falsely claimed he only knew Kadokawa through baseball and had never discussed betting with him, despite hundreds of communications proving otherwise.
Evidence at trial included checks and WhatsApp messages. In one audio message, Puig admitted to lying to federal agents and obstructing a grand jury investigation. Investigators also cited statements Puig made in his 2019 naturalization process, where he denied ever participating in illegal gambling or earning income from it.
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