Claim: Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz each face up to 65 years in prison if convicted in the alleged pitch-rigging and bribery case.

The investigation into Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for alleged pitch-rigging and bribery began well before the public announcements of their non-disciplinary paid leaves. According to the official indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Eastern District of New York dated November 9, 2025, Clase’s alleged involvement started in May 2023. He is accused of manipulating pitches to benefit sports bettors, resulting in conspirators winning roughly $700,000. Luis Ortiz allegedly joined the scheme around June 2025, helping co-conspirators earn about $60,000. 

The indictment details specific instances of pitch-fixing and bribery, including Clase agreeing to throw pitches at specified speeds or locations, coordinated via text messages during games.

As the MLB investigation progressed, both players were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave to accommodate ongoing inquiries. Ortiz was first placed on leave starting July 3, 2025, and Clase on July 28, 2025. Initially, their leaves extended through the All-Star break and the end of August, respectively, but MLB later extended both leaves until August 31, 2025. 

On August 31, MLB announced that both pitchers would remain on non-disciplinary paid leave “until further notice.” During this time, they were allowed to maintain contact with the Guardians organization but were barred from accessing team facilities and Progressive Field. MLB and the MLB Players Association committed to cooperating fully with continued investigations, refraining from further comment until conclusions were reached, as officially announced on July 28, 2025, by MLB.com.

On November 9, 2025, the DOJ formally charged Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz with conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, wire-fraud conspiracy, honest-services wire-fraud conspiracy, and money-laundering conspiracy. United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. emphasized the betrayal of trust these actions represent to fans, teams, and the integrity of the sport, pledging vigorous prosecution.

Extensive media coverage from outlets including CBS News, USA Today, NPR, and ESPN confirms that if convicted on all counts, both pitchers could face up to 65 years in prison.

Are Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz facing up to 65 years in prison?

Coverage of the case refers to a potential maximum of about 65 years because the individual charges carry statutory limits that add up to that number. This figure reflects what is legally possible under the statutes, not what may ultimately occur in court. Sentencing outcomes in federal cases can vary widely depending on many factors, and it is too early to know how these charges might translate into an actual sentence if there is a conviction.

Each of these charges carries significant penalties: 20 years possible for the wire fraud counts, 5 years for the bribery count, and more for money laundering, cumulatively adding to a theoretical maximum sentence of 65 years.

Key legal statutes cited include:

• 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Wire Fraud) — DOJ Criminal Resource Manual states “imprisoned not more than 20 years” in many cases.
• 18 U.S.C. § 1346 (Honest Services Wire Fraud) — Defines “scheme or artifice to defraud” including schemes to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.
• 18 U.S.C. § 224 (Bribery in Sporting Contests) — States “imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both” in subsection (a).
• 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (Money Laundering) — DOJ Criminal Resource Manual states “imprisonment for not more than twenty years” for violations.

Federal Sentencing Outcomes in Prior Sports Manipulation Cases

1. Wire Fraud and Conspiracy: NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison in 2008 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and transmitting wagering information related to rigging NBA games. Though below the maximum, it highlights sentencing for wire fraud conspiracy in the sports context.

1. Public Corruption and Honest Services Fraud: In United States v. Percoco, Anthony Percoco, a former aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, was convicted of honest services wire fraud and sentenced to 72 months (6 years) in federal prison. The conviction involved abuse of public office and bribery, underscoring parallels to integrity-related offenses found in professional sports manipulations.

1. Bribery in Sporting Contests: Brandon Johnson, an ex-college basketball player, was sentenced to six months for conspiracy to commit sports bribery linked to a point-shaving scandal. The court’s decision emphasized the breach of trust and the real legal repercussions tied to compromising competitive fairness.

1. Money Laundering and Illegal Gambling: Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice operated a large-scale Chicago-area sports gambling network and pleaded guilty to gambling conspiracy and money-laundering charges spanning 2016–2019. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, illustrating federal courts’ treatment of laundering and betting-related crimes adjacent with sporting activity.

Why Actual Sentences Are Much Lower

The “up to 65 years” figure represents the statutory maximum, not the likely outcome. In federal cases, judges follow the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which set recommended ranges based on the seriousness of the crime and the defendant’s background.

Key points:

• U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (USSC Manual): Judges use this framework to calculate sentence ranges, which are usually far below the legal maximum. (ussc.gov/guidelines)
• 18 U.S.C. § 3553: Requires that sentences be “sufficient, but not greater than necessary.” (law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3553)
• DOJ Criminal Resource Manual: Clarifies that statutory maximums represent the ceiling, while guideline ranges determine actual sentencing. (justice.gov)

In practice, most defendants in similar sports-related fraud or bribery cases serve months or a few years, not decades, even when maximum penalties total much higher.

Our Rating: Partially True

The claim that Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz “face up to 65 years in prison” is grounded in the statutory maximums listed in the federal charges. However, several headlines and social posts repeat the 65-year figure without explaining how that number is derived or how federal sentencing actually works.

The result is a claim that is legally accurate in theory but presented in a way that can overstate the real-world likelihood of such a sentence. A complete understanding requires noting that the 65-year figure represents the outer limit allowed by law and not a realistic estimate of potential punishment based on past sentencing patterns in similar cases.

Our Fact-Checking Sources

• U.S. Department of Justice – Eastern District of New York indictment, November 9, 2025: justice.gov

• DOJ press release on indictment of MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, November 9, 2025: justice.gov

• MLB announcement on Clase’s non-disciplinary paid leave, July 29, 2025: MLB.com

• Coverage of the indictment and betting scandal, November 9, 2025: CBS News

• Timeline and background on the Guardians betting scandal, November 9, 2025: USA Today

• NPR report on the DOJ charges against Clase and Ortiz, November 10, 2025: NPR

• ESPN coverage of the pitch-rigging indictment, November 10, 2025: ESPN

• Congressional Research Service overview of federal wire fraud statute (18 U.S.C. § 1343), 2024: congress.gov

• Congressional Research Service explanation of honest services wire fraud statute (18 U.S.C. § 1346), 2024: congress.gov

• U.S. Government Publishing Office – Title 18 § 224, “Bribery in Sporting Contests”: govinfo.gov

• DOJ Criminal Resource Manual entry on money laundering, Section 2101: justice.gov

• DOJ announcement on sentencing of NBA referee Tim Donaghy for wire fraud conspiracy, August 15, 2007: justice.gov

• Supreme Court opinion in United States v. Percoco, example of Honest Services Fraud, May 11, 2023: supremecourt.gov

• DOJ press release on former USD basketball player Brandon Johnson’s sentencing for sports bribery conspiracy, March 1, 2012: justice.gov

• DOJ release on Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice’s sentencing in an illegal gambling and money-laundering case, March 9, 2022: justice.gov

• U.S. Sentencing Commission – Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manual: ussc.gov

• Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute – 18 U.S.C. § 3553 (“Imposition of a sentence”): law.cornell.edu