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OAKLAND PARK, Fla. (Gambling911.com) - Former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are currently on trial in federal court in Brooklyn, facing charges of wire fraud conspiracy, sports bribery, and money laundering for allegedly rigging individual pitches to help sports bettors win hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Urquiola told a jury in Brooklyn that Clase befriended a sports betting gambler in the Dominican Republic in early 2023.
Clase eventually agreed to tell “his new friend” what kinds of pitches he would throw in certain games, enabling gamblers to reap at least $460,000 on platforms that allow customers to bet on whether a pitch would be a ball or a strike, she said.
“The defendants, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, are cheaters,” Urquiola told jurors. She said they “sold their pitches.”
Clase, the Guardians’ former star closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges and are on non-disciplinary leave from the club without pay while facing prosecution.They were arrested in November 2025 and have been free on bail since.
Defense attorneys on Thursday have introduced a potentially significant argument: the alleged gambling mastermind was lying about having inside information and may have used artificial intelligence to predict pitches.
U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto barred prosecutors from introducing evidence that Clase allegedly owed approximately $500,000 in federal taxes, because the evidence was disclosed too late.
Matsumoto excluded the evidence because prosecutors missed the discovery deadline.
Gambling Crime
Five Major Developments in the Clase, Ortiz Gambling Case on Thursday
1. Opening statements began Wednesday, November 4. Federal prosecutors accused the Cleveland Guardians pitchers of selling information about their pitches to gamblers.
2. At least $460,000 in alleged gambling winnings. Prosecutors claim gamblers profited from advance knowledge of pitches, including whether they would be balls or strikes.
3. AI enters the defense argument. Clase's attorney says gambler Enoc Pena used artificial intelligence to help predict pitches, then falsely claimed to other bettors that he possessed inside information.
4. Prosecutors allege secret code words. Messages discussing chickens, roosters and horses allegedly disguised communications about pitches and payments. Defense attorneys dispute that interpretation.
5. A key gambler may not testify. Prosecutors reportedly do not intend to call Pena, despite his central role in the allegations. Defense attorneys have challenged his credibility.
Politics
Pete Hegseth Impeachment Watch as Betting Market Chance Drops Slightly
President Donald Trump said Thursday he intends to keep Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in his job but efforts are likely to get underway next week to try and have the Defense Secretary impeached. That resulted in Hegseth's chances of being impeached dropping slightly from 74% just 24 hours ago to 65% Wednesday afternoon at Kalshi. Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie believes he can attract enough Republican votes to make that happen. Massie intends to introduce an impeachment resolution on Monday or Tuesday of next week. That will be an uphill battle with two-thirds of senators present must vote to convict and remove him while the Republicans are still in control and, do they have an appetite to do so?
Gambling News
Kambi Says AI Technology Could Enable 18 Million Additional Accepted Bets
Sports betting technology provider Kambi expects its AI trading systems to enable another 18 million accepted bets in 2026 by improving real-time trading and bet-delay decisions.
Politics
Scott Colom Closing in on Mississippi Senate Win
Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith would need to win 50.9% of the remaining vote to catch or overtake Democrat Scott Colom, who leads. His payout would be $650 for every $100 bet to win this race, which would be a complete shocker. The Mississippi Senate race has shifted 23.07 points toward Democrats compared with the 2024 presidential election.
NFL
Jaguars vs. Ravens Betting
The betting action is overwhelmingly on the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into tonight's Thursday Night Football matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. 69% of both the bet number and volume were on the Jaguars at AcePerHead. The line on Jacksonville has moved from -9 to -10.5 after opening at Ravens -3. Three players have been ruled out for Baltimore, including Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley and Jaylinn Hawkins.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
