Yuniesky Betancourt #3 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on August 8, 2013, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Yuniesky Betancourt, who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers before continuing his career in Japan and Mexico, was arrested on insurance fraud charges in Miami April 12, tv station WPLG reported.
According to WPLG, Betancourt and three accomplices allegedly staged a car accident to collect $61,000 in insurance payments from Kemper, a Chicago-based insurance company.
Betancourt, who was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, played for Santa Clara in the Serie Nacional before leaving Cuba for Mexico on a speedboat in 2003. He made his MLB debut with Seattle in July 2005 and last appeared in the Major Leagues in 2013 with Milwaukee.
The former infielder made almost $16 million during his time in Major League Baseball, and last played in the 2018-19 winter season with the Aguilas de Mexicali of the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico.
Court records indicate Betancourt is represented by a public defender and is charged with four felonies: filing a false insurance claim, organizing a scheme to defraud, staging an accident to commit insurance fraud, and third degree grand theft. He was released on bond on April 13, and will appear in court on May 13 at 9 a.m. for arraignment.