At the ripe age of 21, Kayshon Boutte, a former luminary of the LSU football program who last year made the leap to the professional gridiron with the New England Patriots, finds himself embroiled in a complex legal entanglement, stemming from allegations that he engaged in extensive illegal sports betting while attending school.
In an unfolding saga that could be ripped from the pages of a thriller, Boutte made the decision to turn himself in to the Louisiana State Police following an arrest warrant issued by the 19th Judicial District Court located in East Baton Rouge Parish. The young athlete faces a serious felony charge of computer fraud and a misdemeanor for underage gambling, after authorities claimed he opened and operated a FanDuel sports betting account during his time as a collegiate student-athlete.
The gravity of the situation is underscored by the potential repercussions–up to five years in prison and a hefty fine of $10,000, should Boutte be convicted of the felony charge.
The allegations against Boutte are detailed in an affidavit that brings to light an investigation conducted by sports betting platform FanDuel, which revealed that Boutte had misused personal information belonging to his girlfriend, Kayla Fortenberry, to set up the account in question. The account saw a flurry of activity, with some 8,927 bets recorded within just over a year, including several on NCAA football games, and ominously, on LSU matches.
It is worth noting, however, that there has been no evidence to suggest Boutte bet against his own team or participated in any game-fixing. The wagers included player props and parlays that were centered around his personal performance on the field.
The financial breadcrumbs led investigators to discover that the FanDuel account was primarily financed by a Visa card under Boutte’s mother, Tanisha’s name. Meanwhile, substantial sums of money flowed into the account; in 2022 alone, deposits exceeded $100,000 with nearly half a million dollars wagered.
FanDuel, in compliance with regulations, uncovered further betting activities linked to Boutte after his move to Massachusetts—this time with the legal age on his side but not without contravening NCAA regulations.
As the legal proceedings against Boutte unfold, this case highlights the complex intersection between collegiate sports, athlete conduct, and legalized gambling.
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