Dominican prospect loses $2.8 million bonus over elaborate age and identity fraud

Major League Baseball has suspended a promising Dominican prospect following the discovery of an elaborate age and identity fraud scheme. The deception, orchestrated by the player's associates, included fabricating a deceased brother, altering medical and school records, and even creating a tombstone to make the young athlete appear two years younger than his actual age.

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He (Ode) disclosed that on 24th April 2026, he lured one Samuel Ezekiel, 22, to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja, where his kidney was allegedly harvested for the sum of $1,250 USD (One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty US Dollars), equivalent to ₦1,700,000.00 (One Million Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) at the current exchange rate.

The intricate plot began to unravel after the Cleveland Guardians reached a $2.8 million pre-agreement in December 2025 with the ambidextrous hitter, who was presented under the identity of David Severino. The Guardians believed the player was between 13 and 14 years old, anticipating the contract would be legally finalized in 2029 when he would meet the international signing age of 17.

However, sources revealed that both the player's name and age were false. His true identity is Daury David Severino Dámaso, born April 2, 2010, making him 16 years old. The scheme involved registering a false birth certificate for a supposed younger brother, Daury, born in December 2011, and then substituting Daury's records with this fabricated identity.

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A second victim alleged that he was lured by the same agent in 2022 to a hospital where his kidney was harvested, for which he was paid the sum of ₦7,000,000.00 (Seven Million Naira).

To solidify the deception, a fraudulent death certificate was obtained for the original Daury, claiming he died from a respiratory illness in May 2012. The fraud extended to the creation of a physical grave with a tombstone in a La Romana cemetery. The player even passed through an academy directed by coach John Pereyra, who, after verifying the tomb, believed the story and purchased the player's rights for $20,000.

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Investigations revealed that the suspects and their accomplices allegedly targeted vulnerable and uneducated young persons within Nasarawa State and its environs, exploiting their financial desperation to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting.

The elaborate charade eventually collapsed as international scouts grew suspicious of the player's physical maturity, which did not align with his declared age. The investigation exposed a sophisticated operation designed to circumvent MLB's eligibility rules and secure a lucrative contract through deceit.

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Evidence gathered indicates that the suspects forged official documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers (NIN), birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits, and consent letters to facilitate these criminal activities.