Puig convicted
A jury sitting in a US District Court for the Central District of California has found ex-Los Angeles Dodger Yasiel Puig guilty of lying to federal agents during their investigation into an illegal gambling firm run by ex-minor league player Wayne Nix.
After Chief US District Judge Dolly Gee read the verdict that the jury had convicted the ex-MLB All-Star, Puig’s lawyer Keri Axel told reporters that her client was “shocked and disappointed” at the trial’s outcome.
obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators
The Los Angeles jury deliberated for over a day before finding Puig guilty on one count apiece of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators.
According to Courthouse News, while Puig faces jail of up to 15 years for the combined charges, his actual sentence set by Judge Gee for May 26 will “likely be much less severe.”
Puig faces uncertain future
Whether his sentence will turn out less severe than paying $55,000 in 2022 when he initially agreed to plead guilty to lying to federal investigators remains to be seen.
Puig changed his mind on the plea back in 2022, a decision which Axel argued that her client had been rushed into making. Axel said Puig was playing pro baseball six days a week in South Korea and that when the prosecutors indicated he was about to be charged, he changed his mind to not guilty.
While the ex-Dodger’s gamble to have his “name cleared” has backfired, his attorney said they plan to have the verdict overturned.
failure of the government to prove key elements of its charges
Axel said that her client’s appeal will center on the failure of the government to prove key elements of its charges, including whether Puig’s alleged false statements “were material” to the investigation of Nix and his illegal operation.
Judge Gee, meanwhile, denied the federal prosecutor’s request to remand Puig to custody, saying that Puig “wasn’t a flight risk or a danger to the community.”
If Puig intends to return to the Venezuelan pro league where he hit a recent pair of home runs, or anywhere else outside the US, he will have to inform Judge Gee.
Legacy tarnished
The verdict leaves a sour taste for MLB fans, as Puig faces prison essentially for a confused attempt at concealing his knowledge of Wayne Nix, as he isn’t charged with any betting offenses, nor denied making bets.
The prosecution presented the jury with extensive evidence of how Puig lost over $1.5m via Nix betting on tennis, basketball and football games over a five-month period in 2019.
