MLS has issued lifetime bans to Derick Jones and Yaw Yeboah for betting on games while they were playing, the league announced Monday afternoon.
The duo bet on numerous games, including ones they were playing in, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and after an extensive investigation, have been prevented from playing in the league. Neither player is signed with an MLS club.
Lifetime bans
The duo both gambled extensively on MLS fixtures while they were playing in the league, MLS found after an extensive investigation conducted in part by law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP. Their investigation concerned a two-season period for the duo, including one instance where both players bet on Jones to receive a yellow card in a fixture between Columbus and the Red Bulls. MLS determined that the players had colluded to ensure that Jones did indeed get booked in that game.
Jones and Yeboah were initially placed on administrative leave in October 2025.
MLS’s statement
The league outlined its strong commitment to preventing gambling in a statement:
“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.”
No matches rigged
The investigation, however, did not find any evidence that outcomes of games were influenced by bets made by either player. It was caught in a similar situation in 2021, when Sporting KC’s Felipe Hernandez was found to have been betting on MLS games. His contract was terminated three years later, and he has not held a long-term contract in soccer since.
Further careers for the duo?
The two players banned in the scandal, though, may yet have careers ahead of them. Yeboah now plays in China’s first tier with Qingdao Hainiu. Jones, though, has not found a new club.
