This is not the type of MLB news we expect to see in the first month of the season. Former MLB shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt has found himself in some legal trouble. The former Mariners and Royals shortstop has been arrested for felony insurance fraud for staging a car accident to collect money.
MLB News: Yuniesky Betancourt Arrested
Yuniesky Betancourt was one of four people arrested in connection with the staged car accident in Miami. Last week, Abel Vera, Nancy Mercedes Pena, Maura Perez, and Betancourt were arrested for an incident in December 2022. The four individuals reported a car crash and then billed Kemper Insurance for damages and therapy. According to the state investigations, “all four individuals purportedly sought treatment and physical therapy for injuries they never sustained regarding the accident.”
Kemper Insurance paid over $61,000 to two different clinics and another $22,800 for therapy. Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, had this to say in a statement.
“It doesn’t matter how clever you think your scheme may be, if you commit fraud in Florida, you will be caught and brought to justice. Staging accidents is incredibly dangerous and fraud like this costs every Floridian in the form of higher auto insurance premiums. We must continue to work together to do everything we can to uncover these fraud schemes and bring these scam artists to justice.”
Betancourt’s Career
Yuniesky Betancourt defected from Cuba in 2003 and made his major league debut in 2005 for the Seattle Mariners. He was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2009, and he bounced between them and the Milwaukee Brewers for the twilight of his career. After his MLB career, he played in Japan and Mexico. He also made history by becoming the first defector to play for the Cuban national team.
This is not the MLB news fans like to hear. While Yuniesky Betancourt wasn’t the best player on any team, he was on good teams. Unfortunately, he could face up to 10 years in prison for insurance fraud.
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Matt Brown has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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