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Jury finds ex-MLB outfielder Yasiel Puig guilty in federal gambling probe

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Former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig was found guilty by a jury in a federal gambling case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

The verdict followed a weekslong trial that included testimony from MLB officials and Donny Kadokawa, a Hawaii baseball coach tied to Puig and the illegal gambling operation.

Puig played for three major league teams, spending the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has not appeared in an MLB game since 2019. Puig, 35, now faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 

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His sentencing is scheduled for May 26.

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Yasiel Puig reacts during a game

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig reacts after the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game 3 of the 2017 NLDS playoff baseball series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 9, 2017. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports)

Puig’s attorney, Keri Curtis Axel, argued the government failed to prove key elements of its case and that she plans to raise post-trial motions. 

“We look forward to clearing Yasiel’s name,” Axel said.

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Puig initially pleaded guilty to a felony charge of lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation. 

He acknowledged in an August 2022 plea agreement that he wracked up more than $280,000 in losses over a few months in 2019 while wagering on tennis, football and basketball games through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player.

GUARDIANS’ EMMANUEL CLASE ARRESTED BY FBI AT JFK AIRPORT FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN GAMBLING SCHEME

Nix pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and subscribing to a false tax return. Authorities said Puig placed at least 900 bets through Nix-controlled betting websites and through a man who worked for Nix.

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Prosecutors said that, during a January 2022 interview with federal investigators, Puig denied knowing about the nature of his bets, who he was betting with and the circumstances of paying his gambling debts.

But he changed his tune months later, announcing that he was switching his plea to not guilty because of “significant new evidence,” according to a statement from his attorneys in Los Angeles. 

“I want to clear my name,” Puig said in the statement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”

Yasiel Puig reacts during a baseball game

Yasiel Puig of Tiburones de La Guaira of Venezuela reacts after leaving a game due to injury in the fourth inning during a game against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot park as part of Series del Caribe 2024 Feb. 9, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (Luis Gutierrez/by Norte Photo/Getty Images)

The government argued he intentionally misled federal investigators. They played in court audio clips of Puig speaking English and brought expert witnesses to testify on Puig’s cognitive abilities, The New York Times reported.

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His attorneys said Puig, who has a third-grade education, had untreated mental health issues and did not have his own interpreter or criminal legal counsel with him during the interview with federal investigators when he allegedly lied.

Yasiel Puig reacts during a baseball game

Yasiel Puig of Tiburones de la Guaira of Venezuela reacts in the fifth inning of a game against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park as part of the Serie del Caribe 2024 Feb. 1, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (Luis Gutierrez/Norte Photo/Getty Images)

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Puig made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2013 and finished his major league career with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs. He was selected to the MLB All-Star team in 2014. Last year, he played for the Kiwoom Heroes, a professional baseball team based in Seoul.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sports

Save Brainrots from LAVA: A beginner’s guide

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Save Brainrots from LAVA is a game where your objective is to save the Brainrots scattered across the map from lava that occasionally rises through the floor. This title is a simple fetch-based experience, where you have a limited time to grab a Brainrot from the perilous territory. Upon retrieving a Brainrot, you can place it in your home base to start generating Cash to unlock Rebirths and upgrades.

Here’s a quick starter’s guide to Save Brainrots from LAVA.


Getting started with Save Brainrots from LAVA

Overview

Lava Rising warning (Image via Roblox)Lava Rising warning (Image via Roblox)
Lava Rising warning (Image via Roblox)

Save Brainrots from LAVA places you on a map filled with Brainrots and climbable platforms. Every few seconds, lava rises through the floor and covers the map. Your objective is to navigate the obby-like map to reach the desired Brainrot and return it to your base while avoiding the boiling liquid.

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Each Brainrot has a timer associated with it, which indicates its active time on the map. Once it reaches zero, it will despawn and be replaced by another option. So, if you’re gunning for a particular unit, you may want to hurry. Brainrots also have a specific income rate associated with them, making each unit unique in its own way.

Reaching the end of the map gives you access to Lucky Blocks, which contain special Brainrots that are more powerful than their regular counterparts. Lucky Blocks and powerful randomly-spawning Brainrots are both timed, so it comes down to prioritizing which ones you prefer.

At the end of the day, your efforts culminate in making tons of cash by retrieving Brainrots. The gameplay loop can be continued and extended by performing upgrades and Rebirths, giving you new heights and rarer Brainrots to aim for.


Controls

Rescuing a Brainrot (Image via Roblox)Rescuing a Brainrot (Image via Roblox)
Rescuing a Brainrot (Image via Roblox)
  • Movement: W, S, A, D
  • Jump: Spacebar
  • Interact: E

Gameplay tips

The Rebirth screen (Image via Roblox)The Rebirth screen (Image via Roblox)
The Rebirth screen (Image via Roblox)
  • Aim for the Lucky Blocks: Lucky Blocks feature a pool of unique Brainrots that are rarely found on the map as random spawns. Since you are guaranteed something good from the Blocks, it’s usually wise to aim for these powerful blocks. Be sure to plan your route to and from the Lucky Block to avoid getting swallowed by the lava.
  • Lava levels: The height to which lava rises is randomized each time. Lava levels, as the game calls them, indicate how high the lava reaches each time. The scale starts at level 1, which only covers the tiniest sliver of the floor, to level 10, where most of the map is engulfed by the lava. Keep an eye on the warning and reach for the high ground to remain safe from the molten fluid.
  • Lava isn’t immediately fatal: Lava doesn’t cause immediate death in this experience; you can meander about in it for a few seconds before your HP gets low enough to be an issue. This means that you don’t have to completely avoid the lava while moving across the map. Your HP also recovers over time, so you can jump into the lava after allowing it to regenerate for a few seconds.
  • Upgrades and Rebirths: You can use Cash to upgrade your Speed stat, allowing you to move faster on foot. This is crucial for the Rebirth system as well, giving you a variety of bonuses at the cost of your Speed upgrades. Return to your base to collect Cash from the Brainrots and immediately invest it into Speed upgrades.

Also read: Unique Roblox username ideas for new players


FAQs on Save Brainrots from LAVA

What is Save Brainrots from LAVA about?

Save Brainrots from LAVA has you perform a rescue operation for Brainrots scattered across the game world before lava covers the entire map.

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Is Save Brainrots from LAVA free to play?

Yes, you can play through the game and acquire the rarest Brainrots without interacting with any of the premium elements.

How do I upgrade movement speed?

Movement speed can be upgraded using Cash by clicking on the + sign next to your speed stat.