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Former Major League Baseball player Yasiel Puig was set to plead guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court to a federal charge he lied to law enforcement officials about sports bets he made.
The specific plea will be to one count of making false statements and could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison. He has also agreed to pay a $55,000 fine.
Puig began placing bets on sporting events in May 2019 through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player, according to the complaint.
By June 2019, Puig was down $282,900 and went on to place another 899 additional bets on tennis, football and basketball games from July 4, 2019, to Sept. 29, 2019. The DOJ complaint does not allege Puig placed bets on Major League Baseball games.
He is accused of misleading authorities when questioned.
"When given the opportunity to be truthful about his involvement with Nix's gambling businesses, Mr. Puig chose not to," IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher said in the release. "Mr. Puig's lies hindered the legal and procedural tasks of the investigators and prosecutors."
Nix pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to operate an illegal sports gambling business and filing a false tax return. Prosecutors said Nix's operation ran for two decades and included both current and former professional athletes as clients or employees.
Puig now plays professionally in South Korea.
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
