Cuban baseball player Yuniesky Betancourt, known as “Riquimbili”, former Villa Clara player in the National Series and MLB, was arrested in Miami in the last few hours for alleged car insurance fraud in this Florida city.
Former Major League Baseball player Betancourt was identified among four individuals charged with insurance fraud in Miami-Dade County. Betancourt, 42, of Santa Clara, played shortstop for nine MLB seasons for teams such as the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers.
According to local press reports, police records ensure that those involved in this crime, including the former Cuban baseball player, appeared in Miami-Dade court last Friday, to be read the charges. “Riquimbili” is accused, along with four other people, of staging a car accident to collect insurance premiums, a common scam in South Florida.
It is striking that this Cuban player, accused of fraud in Miami, earned more than 15.7 million dollars during his career in the Major Leagues. The scam he is accused of participating in involved more than $60,000 in auto insurance.
Cuban baseball player Betancourt accused in Miami of insurance fraud
Betancourt and the other suspects, Maura Pérez, Nancy Mercedes Peña and Abel Vera, are accused of defrauding Kemper, a Chicago-based insurance provider. All four involved faced felony charges of filing false insurance claims, organized scheme to defraud, staging an accident and third-degree grand larceny.
According to county court records, Betancourt is being represented by the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office and was released from jail in the last few hours after posting $4,500 bail last Saturday.
He would not be the first Cuban player, who went through the Major Leagues, to lose his way in the United States.
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