A jury in the federal court of Los Angeles, California, recently ruled that former Major League Baseball star outfielder Yasiel Puig is guilty of two felonies—one for obstructing justice and one for perjury. The 35-year-old Cuban player, once a star with the Dodgers, now faces up to 15 years in federal prison due to an illegal gambling case. He placed bets through an underground sports betting network operated by former minor league pitcher Wayne Nix, losing over $1 million. Nix himself has pleaded guilty and is awaiting the judge's gavel. This case, spanning sports, casinos, money laundering, and celebrities, is stirring the nerves of compliance in the U.S. legal gambling industry. The latest developments on sports stars involved in gambling and gambling industry regulation are continuously tracked on the PASA official website.
One, Puig: From Star Player to "Lying Gambler"
In 2019, Puig started betting through Nix's subordinate Donny Kadokawa. Within just 14 weeks, he made 899 bets on Nix's associated website, covering tennis, football, basketball—but notably not baseball, as MLB strictly prohibits players from participating in baseball betting. Puig, with a significant gambling addiction, lost more than he won, accumulating over a million in gambling debts.
In January 2022, federal investigators interviewed Puig, who insisted he "never discussed gambling with Kadokawa." However, the prosecution presented hundreds of text messages and call records in court, showing the two frequently discussed odds, stakes, and repayments, exposing his lies on the spot. Puig's lawyers argued his poor English and misunderstanding, but the jury was clearly unconvinced. Puig has now withdrawn his earlier guilty plea and insists on going through the trial, scheduled for sentencing on May 26.
Two, Bookmaker Nix Unsentenced, Casinos Already Penalized
Compared to Puig, the repercussions of Nix's case are more severe. In 2022, Nix confessed to "operating an illegal sports betting business," but his sentencing has been repeatedly delayed. During the case proceedings, several major Las Vegas casinos were exposed for money laundering:
•Former MGM President Scott Sibella: Fined $9,500 and sentenced to one year of probation in 2024 for failing to report suspicious transactions related to Nix.
•Resorts World Las Vegas: Fined $10.5 million last year by Nevada regulators for allowing Nix's associated bookmaker Matt Bower to gamble in their casino.
•MGM Grand Hotel: According to a non-prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice, the casino directly received over $4.079 million in illegal cash from Nix's gambling operations.
Bookmaker Bower is better known as the bookmaker for Shohei Ohtani's former translator Kazuhisa Watanabe, who is accused of betting approximately $325 million and misusing Ohtani's funds to pay off debts.
Three, Celebrity Gamblers Emerge, Case Files Still Sealed
Nix's client list includes more than just Puig. Prosecutors revealed that he settled gambling debts for several professional sports figures, including an NFL player, an MLB coach, and a baseball analyst. More notably, court documents and media reports have mentioned two prominent figures in the basketball world:
Scottie Pippen—NBA Hall of Fame legend
Maverick Carter—LeBron James's business partner and close friend
Both are listed as Nix's gambling clients, but neither has been charged with any crime. Currently, four court documents submitted on January 15 in Nix's case remain sealed, with undisclosed names or details. The Los Angeles Federal Prosecutor's Office stated that Nix's sentencing will be determined in the coming months.
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