Former LSU and current New England Patriots receiver [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] has been arrested in Baton Rouge on charges relating to an illegal online gambling scheme. WAFB in Baton Rouge, which received a copy of the warrant for Boutte’s arrest, was the first to report the news.
According to the affidavit, Boutte is accused of placing nearly 9,000 bets, including some on NCAA football, for over a year. Boutte was still on the Tigers football team for part of that period.
WAFB reports that the wagers and payouts are in the “several hundred thousand dollars” range.
Prosecutors allege that Boutte used a fraudulent online gambling account while he was underage indicating he was 21 and legally allowed to gamble. Per the warrant, he was arrested on one felony count of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of underage gambling.
Several of the wagers were placed on LSU games while Boutte was still a member of the team, but WAFB reports that Boutte is not believed to have bet against the Tigers and is not accused of throwing any games.
“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,” LSU said in a statement. “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.”
Boutte turned himself in and was reportedly released immediately after posting a $6,000 bond.
The New Iberia native joined the Tigers in 2020, and he recorded 735 yards as a true freshman. He was on pace for a massive season in 2021 that was cut short due to an ankle injury.
He returned in 2022 but missed two games — one due to the birth of his child and the other as part of a suspension for receiving money in exchange for signed autographs in 2021. His production dropped overall, though he still finished his three-year LSU career with 1,782 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
Once seen as a possible first-round pick, Boutte fell to the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He appeared in five games as a rookie this season, totaling two catches for 19 yards.
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