Miami

South Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Smuggling of Dodgers' Yasiel Puig

A South Florida businessman has pleaded guilty to illegally helping finance the smuggling of Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig out of Cuba.

Gilberto Suarez entered the plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Robert Scola, who set a March 6 sentencing date. The alien smuggling conspiracy charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Investigators say Suarez was one of the Miami-based financiers of the 2012 smuggling venture in which Puig was taken by boat from Cuba to Mexico. The financiers were to receive a cut of the seven-year, $42 million contract Puig later signed with the Dodgers.

Court documents show Suarez got $2.5 million from Puig's contract. He agreed to forfeit a house, a condominium and a Mercedes-Benz traceable to the Puig contract to the government.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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