David Wilder, Former White Sox Executive, Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charge

Filed under: White Sox

Former White Sox executive David Wilder pleaded guilty Friday to a federal mail fraud charge, admitting that he solicited kickbacks from Latin American prospects.

"I understand what I have done," Wilder told the court, as the Chicago Tribune reports.

Wilder, who had risen through the ranks to become senior director of player personnel for the White Sox, was indicted in November along with two former scouts, Jorge Oquendo Rivera and Victor Mateo.

The indictment alleged the White Sox officials inflated the size of the signing bonuses for certain prospects and pocketed the difference, which amounted to about $400,000 from December 2004 through February 2008. The White Sox fired Wilder in May 2008 after MLB launched an investigation into allegations of bonus skimming in the Dominican Republic.

 

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