Ortiz and Pedro charged in phone scam?

[Beckett95]

Salvador Delgado said major-league players from the Dominican Republic are viewed as "heros" by their countrymen. But Delgado said some of those countrymen in the New York area are feeling ripped off, and some of baseball's biggest names, as well as Devil Rays shortstop Julio Lugo, are accused of being involved.

 

Delgado, an attorney representing convenience store owners who say they unknowingly sold defective phone cards advertised by the players, filed a $35-million civil lawsuit.

 

Named as defendants, among others, are Lugo, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada, Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez and Yankees pitcher Octavio Dotel. Also named are American Worldwide Telecom, STX Communications, TWD Prepaid Cards, STI Mobile and Global Compass Inc.

 

Delgado said most of the cards known as Grandes Ligas (Major Leagues) were bought by Dominicans who used them to phone home. The lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in United States District Court in New York and claims fraud and deceptive advertising, says the cards substantially shortchanged users.

 

According to the lawsuit, a $2 phone card that was supposed to provide a 70-minute call to the Dominican, provided either nine or 10 minutes.

 

"These baseball players are basically heros to the Dominican community," Delgado told the Times from his office in Elmhurst, N.Y.

"We find it disturbing they would be involved in a situation where products are defective and are being sold to the community under their image or their names."

 

Lugo did not respond to several pages. His agent, Jeff Borris said, "I'm in the process of contacting Julio and I'm not prepared to comment at this time."

 

Ortiz's agent, Diego Bentz, told the Boston Globe his client, Tejada and Martinez were lured into the deal by Dotel.

 

"They were trying to do a favor and it just snowballed," Bentz said.

 

But Delgado said, "We think it is unlikely that any of the baseball players entered into the preprinted card business as a favor to a friend."

 

Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said the team has "no involvement at all in this matter."

 

Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said the matter is being investigated but stressed the phone cards have no connection to MLB.

 

"It has nothing to do with us other than it's our players, which is disturbing," he said.

 

Delgado, 53, said the lawsuit brings him no pleasure. A New York native, he said he is a fan of both the Yankees and Mets.

 

"And I personally like and admire many of these baseball players who are involved in this situation," he said. "Some members of the community, even before we went to court, were scandalized.

 

"I want to restore (the players') image before the community."

 

He also wants the federal government to regulate phone card sales.

 

"This industry is of enormous importance to the immigrant community all across the United States," Delgado said.

st. petersburg times

[schillingouttheks]

Um....lol

 

That's strange.

[a700hitter]

The players should limit endorsements to food chains like Dunkin Donuts. There are very few scams involving donuts.

[ksushi]

I find it hard to believe the players themselves devised some plot to rip people off. Seems odd.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

The players should limit endorsements to food chains like Dunkin Donuts. There are very few scams involving donuts.

That's because its a holely product.

[ORS]

The thread title is way off. It lists them as defendants, but that doesn't mean they will be charged with anything. They will be defendants in a civil case, not a criminal one.

[yeszir]

I think the entire Astros team should be charged because they played in Enron field.

 

If the claims are true that the phone cards are a rip off, I'd bet anything that any of the players who endorsed them didnt know. Why would a multimillionaire player need a phone card to phone home?

[yankthis]

So I should sue Kevin Millar if I choke on a chicken bone?

 

This "Delgado" character is pretty transparent as a publicity hound. Who is taking advantage of whom here?

[CrespoBlows]

This thing won't see a courtroom, the company will settle with their reputation completely destroyed. The lawyers will walk away millions richer, and the poor convience store managers will barely see any money at all.

[Soxfan1]

Dumbass Yes board is taking this too far.

 

http://boards.yesnetwork.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76413

[CrespoBlows]

Dumbass Yes board is taking this too far.

 

http://boards.yesnetwork.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76413

 

No, not really. They've made three post about it, and two assigned no blame to Ortiz.

[Soxfan1]

No, not really. They've made three post about it, and two assigned no blame to Ortiz.

Aw s*** your back.