Sports
Patriots Receiver Kayshon Boutte Charged With Illegal Gambling
Boutte is alleged to have used an alias to get around gambling age requirements during his time at Louisiana State University.
BATON ROUGE, LA — New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was arrested on Thursday in Lousiana, where he faces charges related to gambling during his time at Louisiana State University.
According to Louisiana State Police, investigators with the state's gambling enforcement division were contacted by an online sports gambling company in July 2023 about wagers made by a "prohibited person", later identified as Boutte.
State police found that Boutte participated in sports gambling from April 6, 2022, until May 7, 2023, when he was 20 years old. During this period, Boutte used an alias to circumvent the legal age required for placing sports wagers in Louisiana, officials said.
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Between April 6, 2022, and May 7, 2023, the account believed to be used by Boutte placed over 8,900 wagers. Of the 8,900 wagers, at least 17 were on National Collegiate Athletic Association football games, with at least six of those wagers on LSU football.
An arrest warrant was signed on Jan. 18 charging Boutte with computer fraud and gambling by a person under 21. Boutte was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish jail on the charges on Thursday.
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State police noted that the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges "may be forthcoming."
LSU officials issued a statement on Thursday.
"In July 2023, LSU was made aware of allegations regarding a former student-athlete's improper conduct related to sports gambling while enrolled at the University," officials said.
"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 participated in these prohibited activities, and we are grateful for measures that detect and discourage sports gambling related misconduct."
The Patriots told ESPN that they are aware of the charges against Boutte, adding that they are "aware" that he is cooperating with the state police investigation.
Boutte was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but played sparingly during his first season with the Patriots.
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