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Emmanuel Clase arrested at JFK Airport amid gambling scandal allegations
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- Emmanuel Clase arrested at JFK Airport amid gambling scandal allegations
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Presently, MLB is caught in the glare of an investigation into illegal gambling activities . Among those implicated is Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase .
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On Thursday, Clase was taken into custody at JFK Airport, per David Payne Purdum of ESPN. Also, Clase is expected to answer to investigators on allegations that he had conspired with gamblers to manipulate pitches, per Aaron Katersky of ABC News.
Clase and fellow Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz were both indicted on charges of fraud and bribery. Allegedly, both accepted bribes from bettors in exchange for providing information on specific pitches.
According to the indictment, the bettors accumulated $400,000 in earnings. Clase was part of the scheme in May 2023, and Ortiz joined in June 2025.
MLB and federal authorities have been investigating these accusations since July 2025. Through his attorneys, Clase has denied the charges against him .
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Also, both Clase and Ortiz were placed on non-displinanry paid leave in July.
This is the second biggest gambling scandal affecting the sports world. Recently, the NBA was caught up in an FBI investigation into illegal gambling activities among players and coaches.
That also led to the indictment of figures such as Chauncy Billups and Terry Rozier .
MLB's longstanding issue with gambling
Ever since the advent of baseball, gambling has been intertwined with it. During the early half of the 20th century, baseball and gamblers intermixed routinely. The issue came to a head during the 1919 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds .
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Eight White Sox players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lefty Williams, and Eddie Cicotte, were accused of conspiring with gamblers to throw the World Series. The "Black Sox" Scandal resulted in the lifetime banishment of these players, even though they were acquitted in court.
Decades later, Pete Rose was accused of betting on games, including Cincinnati Reds games when he was manager, a violation of league rules. Then, MLB commissioner Bart Giamatti banned Rose from the game in 1989.
For years, Rose denied betting on the game before admitting to it in 2004.
Today, baseball, much like all sports, has formed partnerships with gambling outlets such as FanDuel and DraftKings and is making tons of money as a result.
Related: Astros' perfect trade offer for Guardians' Steven Kwan
Related: Guardians' Stephen Vogt credits entire organization for Manager of the Year win
