Major League Soccer announced Monday it has issued lifetime bans to midfielders Yaw Yeboah and Derrick Jones for betting on league matches.
Key Takeaways
- The players are believed to have told others about their plans to draw yellow cards.
- MLS says their actions did not affect final outcomes of matches.
- Jones and Yeboah are the first players to receive lifetime bans from MLS for sports betting.
Law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP conducted an investigation into the individuals after the league was alerted to suspicious betting activity. Both players were placed on administrative leave during the probe.
The findings revealed both Jones and Yeboah engaged in “extensive” wagering on soccer matches, including games that involved their teams, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Both men played for the Columbus Crew in 2024, and Yeboah played for Los Angeles FC in 2025, while Jones remained on the Crew. Neither player was contracted to an MLS club at the time of the ban.
On one occasion, both men bet on Jones to receive a yellow card during an October 2024 match against Red Bull New York. The match ended in a 3-2 victory for the Crew, and Jones drew the first yellow card of the match in the 35th minute.
Investigators also found that the men “likely” informed other individuals about plans to receive yellow cards in various matches.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account“Major League Soccer remains steadfast in its commitment to match integrity,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber. “The League will continue to enforce its policies, enhance education efforts, and advocate for the elimination of yellow card wagering in all states to protect the integrity of our competition for clubs, players, and fans.”
Actions didn't affect results
Monday’s announcement also contained a statement from the Crew, which denounced the actions of its former players.
“The Columbus Crew are proud of the reputation we’ve established in MLS and global soccer that’s rooted in respect and integrity throughout our organization,” the team wrote. “We fully condemn all actions and notions that aren’t aligned with these critical values for our Club and any individual’s activity contradicting the principles of fair competition that are pivotal to our team, league and sport.
“The Crew - who strictly adhere to all MLS policies on educating and enforcing sports gambling regulations with team personnel - fully cooperated with the league since first learning about the inquiry regarding the players in question.”
While Jones and Yeboah were found to have intentionally manipulated aspects of their performance, MLS did not find any evidence that they engaged in actions that directly affected the final outcome of any matches.
The Crew finished second in the MLS table and won the Leagues Cup in 2024. They were eliminated in the Round of 16 in the MLS playoffs but also made it to the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Campeones Cup. They lost both times.
In 2025, the team finished 11th in the table and lost in the first round of the playoffs. They were also eliminated in the Round of 16 in the Champions Cup and in the Group Stage of the Leagues Cup.
Sports betting scandals growing
Jones and Yeboah join a growing list of professional athletes who have been exiled for sports betting violations.
Jontay Porter was at the center of the first major case of match-fixing in the NBA, resulting in a lifetime ban. He returned to professional basketball Saturday while awaiting sentencing. Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups were also recently charged with separate offenses.
Meanwhile, MLB pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase are awaiting trial for allegedly fixing the outcomes of their pitches for sports bettors’ benefit.
