The illegal sports betting charges against former Louisiana State University football player Kayshon Boutte have been dropped, his attorney told ESPN Tuesday.
Boutte had been facing one felony charge of computer fraud, and one misdemeanor charge of gaming prohibited for persons under 21.
Boutte, now a member of the New England Patriots, was arrested in Baton Rouge on the illegal sports betting charges in January.
Boutte’s alleged sports betting activity
The 22-year-old had allegedly made 8,900 sports betting wagers between April 6, 2022 and May 7, 2023.
He was underage at the time.
That included at least 17 wagers on NCAA football games, and at least six on LSU football games.
How Boutte allegedly funded accounts
A police report said FanDuel Sportsbook reported the illegal wagering activity to the Louisiana Gaming Enforcement Division’s sports betting unit in July 2023.
Boutte allegedly funded a pair of FanDuel accounts via a bank card in his mother’s name.
He even placed a pair of wagers on himself prior to a Sept. 4, 2022 LSU game against Florida State University.
Star’s wagers on himself
Boutte bet on himself as an anytime touchdown scorer. He also bet on himself to exceed 82.5 receiving yards, as part of an eight-leg parlay.
He finished the game with 20 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Video showed an upset Boutte on the sideline during that matchup.
LSU comment on sports betting
At the time, LSU issued a statement regarding the allegations, with the NFL declining comment to LSR:
“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.”
Boutte last played for Patriots in 2023
Boutte has not played an NFL game since Jan. 7, 2023.
Through a spokesperson, the league said Tuesday it had no further comment on the matter.
“We will wait to hear from the league going forward, but he’s out here. He is doing a good job for us,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said in May.
