Ex-Dodgers star Puig guilty, faces prison

A jury on Friday found former Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to investigators.

- BY STEVE HENSON

BRIAN VAN DER BRUG Los Angeles Times.

FORMER Dodgers player Yasiel Puig speaks with an attorney outside the federal courthouse in L.A. in 2023.

The two-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles concluded with the jury deliberating for nearly two days. Puig, 35, could face up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 26.

Puig faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison on the obstruction of justice charge and up to five years in prison for the two false statement charges. He remains free on his own recognizance.

Puig's defense team said it plans to appeal.

"We are obviously disappointed in this verdict," attorney Keri Curtis Axel said. "We believe we have good grounds to reverse the verdict and will fight on."

The charges stemmed from a January 2022 video-conference interview with federal investigators during which Puig was alleged to have lied about his sports betting. The investigators led by Assistant U.S. Atty. Jeff Mitchell - were gathering information at the time about an illegal gambling ring led by Wayne Nix of Newport Coast.

Investigators alleged that Puig denied he had placed bets with Nix despite evidence that he made 899 wagers with the former minor league pitcher on football and basketball games and tennis matches from July to September 2019.

Puig — who was not accused of betting on baseball - lost more than $1.5 million in sports bets, Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Christen Seymour testified, and owed Nix $282,900.

Nix pleaded guilty in 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. He is awaiting sentencing.