Wayne Joseph Nix, the illegal bookmaker whose casino play at MGM Grand led former resort president Scott Sibella to plead guilty to federal charges in a California courtroom this week, is well connected.

The former minor league baseball pitcher who lives in Newport Coast, California, took sports bets from major league players of several sports who like to gamble, as well as their associates.

Among his customers: former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, who in 2022 pleaded guilty to a federal charge of lying to federal law enforcement officials about placing bets on sporting events.

Nix, who pitched for the Oakland Athletics minor league affiliate in Modesto, California, ran his bookmaking operation in the shadows for 20 years.