New England Patriots wide receiver Kayson Boutte was arrested in Louisiana on charges related to illegal online gambling this week, WAFB Channel 9 in Baton Rouge reported on Thursday. According to the report, Boutte faces charges of felony Computer Fraud and a misdemeanor count of Gaming Prohibited for Persons under 21.
Boutte, who turned 21 in May of 2023 shortly after being drafted by the Patriots, allegedly created “a fraudulent online gaming account indicating that he was 21 years old or older,” according to WAFB. NOLA.com added that Boutte placed “over 8,900 wagers” from the account, including 17 on college football games, including six on LSU football all before he turned 21. “Several hundred thousand dollars” passed through the account, according to WAFB.
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Some of the wagers Boutte allegedly placed illegally occurred while he was a member of the LSU football team in 2022. However, WAFB reports Boutte “never bet against himself” or is accused of “throwing a game.”
“Investigators assigned to the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division were contacted by an online gambling company regarding sports wagers made by a prohibited person,” Louisiana State Police said via a statement. “Investigators learned that former Louisiana State University football player, 21-year-old Kayshon Boutte of Baton Rouge, participated in sports gambling from April 6, 2022, until May 7, 2023, when he was 20 years old.”
Following his arrest, Boutte was booked at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. He then posted a $6,000 bond and was immediately released.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 03: Kayshon Boutte #7 of the LSU Tigers runs the ball for a 53 yard touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs during the first quarter in the SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Mark Daniels of MassLive reported the Patriots “are aware of the ongoing legal situation” with Kayshon Boutte. In a statement shared via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the NFL said “we are aware of the matter but have no further comment at this time.”
LSU also released a statement, saying, “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. 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.”
The Patriots drafted Boutte in the sixth round of last year’s NFL Draft. He appeared in five games for them as a rookie, catching two passes for 19 yards.
