Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig has found himself in hot water due to his involvement in an illegal sports gambling ring. His troubles have gotten much worse, as Puig now faces two more charges.
Puig faces two federal counts of making false statements and obstructing justice, via KTLA5’s Marc Sternfield. Both counts carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Puig had already pled guilty to lying to federal agents about the illegal gambling operation, although he later changed his plea to not guilty. He is already facing up to five years in prison and has agreed to a five of at least $55,000.
The former All-Star is accused of playing hundreds of illegal bets through an illegal gambling ring from May to Sept. 2019. While he never bet on baseball, Puig is accused of placing wagers on tennis, football and basketball contests. His accumulated $282,000 in losses through the gambling ring.
At one time, Yasiel Puig was a burgeoning star for the Dodgers. He was the runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year in 2013 and an All Star in 2014. Throughout his six-year Dodgers’ tenure, Puig hit .279 with 108 home runs, 331 RBI and 60 stolen bases.
Those days have now come and gone for Puig. He hasn’t played in the MLB since 2019, although he has spent some time playing baseball overseas.
Puig’s legal troubles do not bode well for the former All Star. If he is convicted on his two new charges, Puig could be facing serious jail time. Being involved in an illegal gambling ring has now come back to haunt the former Dodgers’ outfielder.