The Biogenesis steroid scandal that rocked Major League Baseball has not ended. The cousin and personal assistant of Alex Rodriguez, Yuri Sucart, has been sentenced to seven months in prison, six months house arrest and a $5,000 fine. Sucart pleaded guilty to federal drug charges in the steroid distribution scandal.
According to court records and testimony, Sucart recruited other baseball players and also provided steroids to teenage athletes and received a substantial amount of money for his actions. Rodriguez admitted to steroid use and Sucart’s involvement in 2009 and as a result Sucart was banned from Major League Baseball games and facilities. Afterwards, Sucart’s salary was reduced by Rodriguez and finally cut off in 2012. According to Sucart, this resulted in a severe financial hardship which made him demand some concessions from Rodriguez. Sucart demanded money from Rodriguez, who offered him $600,000 and a three-bedroom house, but Sucart wanted $5 million and the house. Eventually, Sucart was given $900,000 and as a result would not cooperate with the federal investigation.
According to Sucart’s lawyer Edward O’Donnell IV, Sucart’s financial hardships led to his ongoing criminal activity in the steroid distribution scheme with Biogenesis. “He was left with nothing. He found himself in a very desperate financial situation… It was a very humiliating time in Mr. Sucart’s life,” stated O’Donnell.
When sentenced by the court, Sucart issued an apology in Spanish and claimed he did it out of ‘’ignorance and necessity.” Sucart faces deportation back to the Dominican Republic after he completes his prison time. Rodriguez has returned to Major League Baseball and is currently playing with the New York Yankees.
