Update
1:06 PM PT -- Luis Ortiz's attorney, Chris Georgalis, defended his client vigorously in a statement to ESPN ... denying claims that the pitcher improperly influenced games.
Georgalis claims any tranactions between Ortiz and others in the Dominican Republic were for lawful activities -- before adding the indictment "lacks any alleged evidence that connects Luis to these alleged bettors."
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted in relation to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games ... TMZ has learned.
According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, their scheme allegedly worked like this ... the pitchers would agree in advance with their co-conspirators on what pitches they would throw in the games.
Prosecutors claim Clase and Ortiz's alleged co-conspirators would then use that information to place hundreds of "fraudulent bets" on those pitches, which won them at least $400,000.
While Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston, Clase is not currently in custody. Ortiz is due to appear in federal court sometime on Monday, November 10.
As we reported over the summer, Ortiz and Clase were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by Major League Baseball as part of the league's sports betting investigation.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of a combined 40 years imprisonment on 2 separate wire fraud conspiracy counts, 5 years on a conspiracy to influence sporting contests count, and 20 years on a money laundering conspiracy count
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