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<h2>Indictment of Cleveland Guardians Pitchers for Bribery</h2>
<p>NEW YORK — Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians, have been indicted for allegedly accepting bribes from sports bettors to manipulate their pitching performance. The accusations involve intentionally throwing balls in the dirt rather than strikes to facilitate successful bets.</p>
<p>An indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn reveals that the two players accepted several thousand dollars in bribes to assist two unnamed Dominican gamblers in winning over $460,000 through in-game prop bets concerning pitch outcomes and speeds.</p>
<p>Clase, a former closer, and Ortiz, a starting pitcher, have been on paid leave since July after Major League Baseball (MLB) initiated an investigation due to suspicious in-game betting patterns during their appearances in April, May, and June.</p>
<p>Ortiz, 26, was arrested on Sunday at Boston Logan International Airport and is expected to appear in federal court. In contrast, Clase, 27, was not taken into custody.</p>
<h3>Legal Implications</h3>
<p>U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that Ortiz and Clase have "betrayed America's pastime." He emphasized that integrity and honesty are fundamental to sports, and corruption undermines public trust in these institutions.</p>
<p>Ortiz's lawyer, Chris Georgalis, claimed his client is innocent and stated that the payments involved were for lawful activities. He noted that Ortiz has always aimed to win games with every pitch.</p>
<h3>Unusual Betting Activity Leads to Investigation</h3>
<p>MLB reported it contacted federal enforcement when it discovered unusual betting activities, adding that it is cooperating with authorities in their ongoing investigation. The Guardians have also stated they will fully cooperate with both law enforcement and MLB as matters progress.</p>
<p>Both players face charges including wire fraud conspiracy and bribery to influence sporting contests, with serious charges potentially resulting in up to 20 years in prison. Specific instances cited in the indictment detail how Clase and Ortiz altered their pitching strategies to correspond to expected bets from gamblers.</p>
<p>This scandal is part of a broader federal crackdown on sports betting, following a significant Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 that overturned a federal ban on sports betting in most states, leading to a surge in gambling incidents within professional sports.</p>
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