In a recent court ruling, arbitration judge Ruth M. Moscovitch upheld a five-year sanction for the executives of Rimas Sports, the sports representation agency linked to the artist Bad Bunny, due to multiple violations of the rules of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
The sanction includes directors Noah Assad, Jonathan Miranda, and William Arroyo, who were banned from their representation roles for offering inappropriate incentives to players. As part of the ruling, Arroyo's prohibition, the only certified baseball agent in the company, was reduced to three years.
The evidence presented by the MLBPA supported the sanction, including financial incentives and gifts to players not affiliated with the agency, such as a zero-interest loan of $200,000 and gifts worth $19,500.
In her statements, Judge Moscovitch emphasized that these actions constitute serious and multiple violations of MLBPA rules. She highlighted that uncertified personnel were employed for recruiting and negotiating with players, which is illegal according to the association's regulations.
"These violations are serious, both for the number of infractions and for the level of misconduct," the judge mentioned. Although common in other industries, gifts and loans are strictly prohibited in MLB to protect the integrity of the relationships between agents and players.
Moscovitch acknowledged Arroyo's complicated situation, who, despite having supervisory responsibility over the staff, did not have the necessary authority to control the agency's recruiting activities.
Following the ruling, the executives of Rimas Sports chose not to issue any official statements. The sanction prohibits any future cooperation between certified MLB agents and the sanctioned members of the agency, representing a significant blow to the representation firm in the world of baseball.
