Another athlete is embroiled in controversy related to allegations of illegal sports betting.
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has been arrested for allegedly using a sportsbook account registered in another person’s name to place wagers during his time at LSU.
Boutte, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, has been charged with a felony count of computer fraud and a misdemeanor count of gambling prohibited for persons under 21, according to Louisiana State Police. Boutte, who played in five games for the Patriots this past season, allegedly placed nearly 9,000 illicit wagers between April 2022 and May 2023 on sports including college football as a 20-year-old. He also allegedly wagered on LSU games.
The illicit wagers were allegedly placed by Boutte using a FanDuel account with a credit card registered to his mother, according to court documents. The account, which included Boutte’s full name in its username, also allegedly received deposits in January from another credit card registered to the wide receiver. According to the affidavit, Boutte opened a new FanDuel account in Massachusetts in his own name in June 2023. The newly registered account led FanDuel to recognize the discrepancy in Boutte’s age as he turned 21 only a month prior.
Some wagers were allegedly placed on LSU’s campus, which led to the institution releasing a statement regarding the matter.
“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,” said LSU. “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.”
The NFL and the Patriots have yet to comment on Boutte’s allegedly illicit wagering. The 21-year-old will reportedly be booked in Baton Rouge and released on a $6,000 bond.
