Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte arrested on online gambling charges
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Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was arrested Thursday afternoon in Baton Rouge, La. for charges related to sports gambling, WAFB first reported.
The Louisiana State Police said in a statement that Boutte is accused of creating a fraudulent online account that allowed him to gamble while still a minor. He faces one felony count of computer fraud and one misdemeanor count of gaming prohibited for persons under 21. An warrant was issued for Boutte’s arrest and the former LSU player turned himself in shortly thereafter. He entered the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail on Thursday.
Boutte used an online alias to bypass gambling laws and placed over 8,900 bets between April 6, 2022 and May 7, 2023, according to a police report.
An investigation that began in July 2023 revealed Boutte allegedly placed wagers on 17 NCAA games, at least 6 of which were LSU football games.
In a statement, LSU said they first learned of gambling allegations against Boutte this past summer.
“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,” the school 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.”
In addition to the criminal charges Boutte faces in Louisiana, he may also be facing disciplinary measures from the NFL. Boutte was drafted by the New England Patriots on April 29, 2023, a date that overlapped with the alleged illegal gambling.
The NFL also released a statement on social media.
“We are aware of the matter but have no further comment at this time,” they said.
Boutte played in five games for the Patriots last season, with two receptions for a total of 19 yards.
