Former MLB Outfielder Yasiel Puig Convicted on Federal Charges
A federal jury in Los Angeles has delivered a guilty verdict against former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig Valdés. The 35-year-old Miami resident was found guilty on two serious counts: one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. This conviction is directly linked to Puig's involvement with an illegal sports gambling operation and the subsequent lies he told during an official federal interview conducted in January 2022.
Details of the Gambling Operation and Puig's Role
Evidence presented during the 13-day trial painted a detailed picture of Puig's gambling activities. The prosecution demonstrated that Puig began placing bets in May 2019 through an intermediary named Donny Kadokawa, a youth baseball coach from Hawaii who acted as a sub-agent for the gambling operation run by Wayne Nix. Kadokawa, who has already pleaded guilty to separate tax-related charges, testified that he placed numerous bets on Puig's behalf and received a 25% commission from Nix based on Puig's losses.
By June 2019, Puig had accumulated gambling debts totaling $282,900. Following instructions from Kadokawa and another associate, Benny Bonilla, Puig withdrew $200,000 from a Bank of America branch in Glendale, California. He used these funds to purchase two cashier's checks, each for $100,000, made payable to Joseph Schottenstein—another client of Nix's gambling business who was owed winnings. Investigators later recovered photographic evidence of a UPS shipping label from Nix's phone, corroborating the transaction.
After this payment, Puig was granted direct access to online betting platforms. From July 4 to September 29, 2019, records show he placed an astonishing 899 additional bets on sports including tennis, football, and basketball. Notably, many of these bets were placed from MLB ballparks before and after games, though he did not wager on baseball. By the end of September 2019, Puig's unpaid losses had ballooned to nearly $1 million.
Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Christen Seymour provided crucial testimony, stating that Puig's total losses with Nix's operation exceeded $1.5 million over a roughly five-month period in 2019. This figure included approximately $500,000 in wire transfers to shell companies and $980,000 in unpaid losses, not accounting for additional cash payments.
The January 2022 Interview and False Statements
The false statements charge stems from a 90-minute videoconference interview conducted by federal investigators in January 2022. Despite being warned that lying to federal agents is a criminal offense, and with his legal counsel present, Puig made several demonstrably false claims.
He asserted he knew Kadokawa "only" through baseball and had never discussed gambling with him, a statement directly contradicted by extensive call and text records related to betting activities. When presented with evidence of the $200,000 cashier's check transaction, Puig falsely claimed he did not know who instructed him to send the money to Schottenstein, suggesting the payment was for a loss on an unknown website to an unknown person.
Prosecutors noted in a trial memorandum that during a break, government officials privately advised Puig's then-counsel that his statements were contrary to evidence already obtained. Although counsel conferred with Puig, he did not retract or correct his false statements.
Puig's defense team, led by attorney Keri Curtis Axel, argued that Puig—who has a third-grade education—suffered from untreated mental health issues and lacked proper interpretation services during the interview, as the interpreter allegedly struggled with his specific Spanish dialect.
Legal Proceedings: From Plea Deal to Trial
Puig's legal journey took several twists. He initially agreed to a plea deal, admitting to one count of lying to federal authorities concerning over $280,000 in gambling losses. The agreement included a fine of at least $55,000 and potential probation. However, weeks later, Puig withdrew from the agreement, publicly stating, "I want to clear my name. I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit." A federal judge ruled the deal non-binding since no formal plea had been entered.
Following the withdrawal, prosecutors added the obstruction of justice charge in January 2023. The case faced delays due to an appeal concerning the admissibility of facts from the withdrawn plea agreement. Jury selection concluded on January 20, 2026, with testimony commencing the following day.
The prosecution team, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juan M. Rodriguez, Michael J. Morse, and Laura A. Alexander, presented a robust case. They called witnesses including MLB officials, Kadokawa, and expert witnesses on Puig's cognitive abilities. They also played audio recordings of Puig speaking English to argue he knowingly and willfully misled investigators.
The defense countered, disputing the government's narrative. Attorney Axel pointed to messages showing Kadokawa repeatedly contacted Puig about the investigation, raising questions about potential entrapment.
Sentencing and Potential Penalties
Yasiel Puig, who played for teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, and clubs in Mexico and South Korea, now faces significant prison time. The conviction for obstruction of justice carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The conviction for making false statements carries a potential sentence of up to 5 years.
U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee has scheduled sentencing for May 26, 2026. Until that time, Puig remains free on his own recognizance. The case underscores the serious legal consequences of obstructing federal investigations and providing false information to authorities, even for high-profile athletes.
