New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was arrested in Louisiana over sports betting violations. Boutte is alleged to have placed wagers on nearly 9,000 games, including those involving Louisiana State University (LSU), as a minor.
In a release on Thursday, the Louisiana State Police said that the ex-LSU standout faces one felony count of computer fraud and one misdemeanor count of gaming prohibited for persons under 21. More charges could follow, the release noted.
He was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish jail on that same day for his involvement in the illegal sports betting scheme. Arrangements were made for him to be immediately released upon posting a $600,000 bond.
Local media reports indicate Boutte allegedly created fake online gaming accounts while he was still a minor to place wagers on close to 9,000 sporting events. This included several LSU football games when Boutte was still part of the team.
As per the release, an online gambling company informed law enforcement in July 2023 of the wagers, with a subsequent investigation finding that Boutte placed more than 8,900 bets between April 6, 2022 and May 7, 2023, the day in which he turned 21.
To circumvent the law requiring bettors to be at least 21, Boutte allegedly utilized an alias during that period. At least 17 of the bets Boutte allegedly placed were on NCAA football games, and at least six were on LSU football games.
The affidavit for Boutte’s arrest warrant, a copy of which was obtained by sports publication The Athletic, said FanDuel contacted the Louisiana State Police’s gaming division about the possibility of a college athlete placing sports wagers.
As per The Athletic’s report, the bank card attached to the account was under the name Tanisha Boutte, the athlete’s mother. Boutte chose the username “kayshonboutte7” for the account, according to the affidavit, which further shows that police later discovered a second account linked to Boutte under the name Kayla Fortenberry, also funded by his mother’s bank card
LSU said in a statement it was notified in Summer 2023 that an unnamed former student-athlete had participated in improper conduct involving sports gambling. The university states that it “fully cooperated” with authorities investigating the matter, reports CBS.
“We have no evidence that any other student-athletes participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage sports gambling-related misconduct,” LSU said in the statement.
Boutte, who played at LSU from 2020-22, was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Taking into account that took place on April 29, 2023, NBC Sports, says Boutte may also be facing NFL discipline as a result of the criminal charges he faces in Louisiana.
