Trial begins for slugger Yasiel Puig in sports betting case

A trial in the federal case against former major league slugger Yasiel Puig started on Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles.

Puig, 35, faces one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators about his suspected involvement in an illegal sports betting ring. He is facing a combined maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted of all counts.

According to prosecutors, Puig placed 899 wagers on sporting events -- excluding baseball -- between May and September 2019 through an associate in a business run by former minor league pitcher Wayne Nix. The prosecutors allege that Puig sent Nix $200,000 to offset a portion of the $282,900 in losses the ballplayer accumulated in just a few weeks.

Federal investigators questioned Puig about his role in the gambling operation in 2022. They allege Puig made false statements to them on multiple occasions.

Puig initially cut a deal with prosecutors to close the case in November 2022, agreeing to plead guilty to one count of lying to federal investigators. He opted out of the agreement days later, however.

"I want to clear my name," Puig said at the time. "I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit."

Puig burst onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2013 and was an All-Star in 2014. He spent six of his seven MLB seasons with the Dodgers, batting .277 with an .823 OPS in 861 total games with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs. He also played for Cincinnati and Cleveland in 2019.

Puig's post-MLB career also included two separate stints with El Aguila de Veracruz in the Mexican League and the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League in South Korea

--Field Level Media