Yasiel Puig has withdrawn a guilty plea in connection with charges of lying to federal investigators probing an illegal gambling ring in'Southern California, attorneys for the former Major League Baseball outfielder said in a statement Wednesday.'
Puig, a former MLB All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reached an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department in mid-November to plead guilty to one count of making false statements to law enforcement officials about sports bets he made with an illegal operator. Puig was initially scheduled to make an appearance last Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court for a formal hearing that was delayed until Tuesday afternoon.
Attorneys for Puig, however, withdrew the plea citing “significant new evidence” that prompted the legal team for the former MLB outfielder to contest the allegation.