Overview
- Puig is charged with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements, exposing him to a combined maximum of about 20 years in prison if convicted.
- A jury of 12 with two alternates was seated, opening statements began, and the proceedings are expected to last about a week.
- Prosecution witness Donnie Kadokawa testified he served as a go-between for Puig and bookies including Wayne Nix, describing bets placed by text and losses approaching $282,900.
- Court filings assert Puig sent Nix $200,000 toward his debt and then made 899 wagers on tennis, football, and basketball through a Costa Rica–linked website.
- The case stems from the federal probe into Nix’s gambling operation; Puig withdrew a 2022 plea agreement, and prosecutors point to a recorded message in which he allegedly acknowledged lying.