Former Mariners, Royals and Brewers INF Yuniesky Betancourt Facing Up to 10 Years in Prison

Former Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers infielder Yuniesky Betancourt faces up to 10 years in prison after allegedly being part of an insurance fraud scheme in Florida.

July 28, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Yuniesky Betancourt (3) reacts as he / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Former Major League shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is facing legal trouble after he was allegedly part of an insurance scheme in Florida.

Per CBS Sports:

Former big-league shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, who appeared in parts of nine MLB seasons, is facing up to 10 years in prison if he's convicted following an arrest last week in Miami-Dade County on several charges. Those include staged accident, insurance fraud, organized scheme to defraud, and grand theft, Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis announced. 

Betancourt, 42, is alleged to have been part of a four-person scheme that staged a car crash and faked injuries to defraud Kemper Insurance. The state's investigation found that "after the accident report date, all four individuals purportedly sought treatment and physical therapy for injuries they never sustained regarding the accident," according to a press release. "Kemper Insurance was billed over $61,000 from the two clinics and paid out over $22,800 for therapy billing of which none of the four individuals were entitled."

Betancourt, a Cuban native, spent parts of nine years in the big leagues with the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers. He made his Major League debut in 2005 and last played in 2013. Known as more of a defender than an offensive piece, he did hit a career-high 16 homers in the 2010 season and added 13 more in both 2011 and 2013.

He was a lifetime .261 hitter with a .285 on-base percentage. He played in both Mexico and Japan after his final Major League appearance.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.