FBI Memo Reveals Pete Rose's $90K Gambling Debt; MLB Lifts Ban Posthumously

August 29, 2025
FBI Memo Reveals Pete Rose's $90K Gambling Debt; MLB Lifts Ban Posthumously
  • The documents suggest Rose sometimes placed bets with an individual in New York and had a business partnership with Peters that ended due to gambling debts.

  • Pete Rose died on September 30, 2024, at age 83, and following his death, the FBI released a set of documents related to him, some of which were redacted.

  • A 1987 FBI memo revealed that Pete Rose owed his bookie, Ronald Peters, $90,000 from sports wagering, and Rose was frequently seen entering Peters' establishment, hinting at possible involvement in illegal betting activities.

  • The released documents, some of which trace back to the 1989 Dowd report, do not explicitly mention Rose betting on baseball, although he later admitted to betting on the sport.

  • Despite being banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on the game, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred lifted Rose's ineligibility in May, opening the door for his Hall of Fame consideration.

  • Most of the FBI files consist of requests for phone records and surveillance, with many names redacted, and it remains unclear whether any subpoenas directly involved Rose.

  • The FBI released 130 pages of documents focusing on Rose’s relationship with his deceased bookmaker Ronald Peters and an investigation into mid-1980s narcotics and bookmaking operations run by Peters.

  • Interviews from 1987 and 1988 indicate Rose bet on football, basketball, and horse racing, usually around $1,000 to $2,000 per game, but not on baseball, and owed substantial debts to Peters.

Summary based on 1 source


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