Kayshon Boutte, wide receiver for the New England Patriots, was arrested last Thursday (25), in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on charges of alleged involvement in sports betting while playing at LSU, as reported by ESPN.
++ Newcastle midfielder Joelinton could be sold, says manager Eddie Howe
Louisiana State Police charged Boutte, 21, with one felony count of computer fraud and one misdemeanor count of participating in gambling prohibited to those under 21. Police have indicated that more charges may arise as an ongoing investigation progresses, ESPN reports. Investigators from the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division discovered that Boutte, then 20 years old, allegedly placed illegal bets on sports between April 6 and May 7, 2022. To circumvent the age restriction, the current Patriots would have used a pseudonym to place bets in the state of Louisiana, as reported by the channel.
++ Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to step down at end of season
A fake account allegedly associated with the former LSU star placed more than 8,900 bets, including at least 70 on college football games, at least six of which were Tigers games, according to authorities cited by ESPN.
LSU issued a statement Thursday, stating, “In July 2023, LSU was made aware of allegations of misconduct by a former student-athlete related to sports betting while enrolled at the university. Since then, we have fully cooperated with all relevant authorities involved in the investigation and will continue to do so. We have no evidence that any other student-athletes have participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage misconduct related to sports gambling.” The NFL has not yet commented on Boutte’s arrest.