Clase and Ortiz Trial: Witness Testifies Inside Bet Information Stopped in 2024
A former Uber driver told federal jurors that the flow of tips on pitcher Emmanuel Clase’s velocities ceased after the Ohtani gambling scandal intensified scrutiny.
By Aiko Sato ·
Federal jurors in Brooklyn heard testimony on Friday that the specific data used to bet on Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase’s pitches in 2023 ceased during the 2024 season. Luis de Aza Baez, a government witness and former Uber driver, stated that the information dried up due to increased attention on the gambling world following the scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter. De Aza Baez testified that he won thousands of dollars on velocity bets for select pitches during the 2023 season because he possessed inside knowledge. Clase faces charges of conspiring with bettors to manipulate 18 pitches over three seasons.
The timeline of the alleged scheme began in 2023 when de Aza Baez started receiving pitch information from Enoc Pena, an associate of Clase. The tips were transmitted through a group chat titled “Uber Inc,” which Pena created for other men working for the ride-share company in Massachusetts. Prosecutors presented a screenshot of a text message Clase allegedly sent to Pena on September 30, 2023, regarding an upcoming game against the Detroit Tigers. The message used the phrase “killing the first two chickens,” which de Aza Baez interpreted as instructions to bet on a pitch to the third batter of an inning, provided Clase had retired the first two. Clase did not appear in that specific game.
De Aza Baez explained that the flow of information halted in 2024. When he requested more data that season, he was told that the Ohtani situation meant no more information of that type was available. Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers star, faced scrutiny in March 2024 after reports indicated millions of dollars moved from his account to an illegal book. His interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, later pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17 million to pay gambling debts and is currently incarcerated. Ohtani was cleared of wrongdoing.
The defense for Clase and co-defendant Luis Ortiz argues that references to roosters and chickens in their communications referred to cockfighting, a legal pastime in the Dominican Republic where several defendants originate. De Aza Baez met Clase for the first time on April 28, 2023, at a birthday party in Winthrop, Massachusetts, where he had recently moved. Prosecutors played a video of the gathering showing Clase playing dominoes at a table with a Boston Red Sox logo. The Guardians were in town for a series against Boston at that time.
De Aza Baez testified that he never received information directly from Clase, only from Pena. He stated he had no formal agreement with Pena but gave him money because the bets won “almost always.” To increase his wagering limits, de Aza Baez opened a DraftKings account under his wife’s name. He also combined the Clase pitch bets into parlays to boost potential payouts. He acknowledged to the court that he agreed with the government to forfeit $69,000 from his winnings. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop a wire fraud charge against him in return for his truthful testimony.
Clase, Ortiz, and co-defendant Robinson Vásquez Germosen have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges including wire fraud, honest services fraud, sports bribery, and money laundering. Another co-defendant, Luis Arismendy Paca Méndez, also pleaded not guilty but is not participating in the trial after being extradited from the Dominican Republic on October 19. Vásquez’s attorney, Todd Spidek, told reporters after the hearing that the defense maintains the case involves casual talk and modest bets. Spidek stated the team is confident in letting the jury make that judgment.
The federal trial will resume next Thursday in Brooklyn.
