Former Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt arrested in Florida, accused in insurance fraud scheme

Former Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, a star for Milwaukee in the 2011 postseason, was among four people arrested and charged with insurance fraud in Miami-Dade County, accused of staging an accident that enabled him to collect insurance payouts.

Betancourt, 42, appeared Friday in Miami-Dade court, accused of defrauding Chicago-based insurance provider Kemper after an investigation by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

The four are facing felony charges of filing false insurance claims, an organized scheme to defraud, staging an accident and third-degree grand theft. Betancourt is being represented by the public defender's office according to records and was out on a $4,500 bond Saturday.

If convicted on all charges, each could face up to 10 years in prison.

Kemper was billed more than $60,000 from two clinics and paid out $22,800 for therapy billing to which none of the four individuals were entitled, according to the investigation.

Betancourt spent two stints with the Brewers, including in the National League Central championship 2011 season, the team's first division title since 1982. The shortstop arrived in Milwaukee in the same trade that brought Zack Greinke to the Brewers and sent several players to the Royals; Betancourt posted an OPS of .692 that year but was electric in the playoffs, collecting 13 hits (including five extra-base hits) and driving in six. That included a go-ahead RBI single in Game 5 of the National League division series, a game Milwaukee won in extra innings, 3-2.

Betancourt went back to the Royals in 2012 but again played for the Brewers in 2013, appearing in 137 games. All told, he spent nine seasons in Major League Baseball with Seattle, Kansas City and Milwaukee and made close to $16 million in career earnings.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ex-Brewers shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt accused of insurance fraud