FBI concludes investigation on Astros breach
Organization reportedly recommends charges against at least one Cards employee
ST. LOUIS -- The FBI's investigation into an unauthorized entry into the Houston Astros' database has concluded, and federal investigators have recommended that at least one Cardinals employee be charged, CNN reported on Friday. The report did not identify that employee.
The Cardinals have been under investigation by the FBI and Justice Department for several months regarding the matter. According to The New York Times, which broke the story on June 16, evidence was found that at least one Cardinals employee illegally accessed a database that contained internal discussions of trades and scouting reports.
Cards employee dismissed for Astros data breach
The Cardinals organization has dismissed scouting director Chris Correa, but general manager John Mozeliak would not go into specifics about why that decision was made.
"I can confirm he was on administrative leave and was terminated [Wednesday]," Mozeliak said on Thursday. "I think, at this time, it's just best to understand it's an open investigation and any other comments are not in anybody's best interest."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has reported that Correa, a member of the Cardinals' front office since 2009, admitted to entering the Astros' database to discover whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data from the Cardinals. He said he was not responsible for the leak of Astros data last summer or the subsequent breaches that the FBI alleges to have occurred.
"Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct," Nicholas Williams, his attorney, told CNN. "The relevant inquiry should be, 'What information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to, or benefited from that roguish behavior?'"
Jeff Luhnow, who left the Cardinals in 2011 to become the Astros' GM, spearheaded the development of Houston's internal database, which details confidential discussions, player evaluations, statistical information and more. Before Luhnow's departure, Correa worked under him as a statistical analyst.
The Cardinals have been waiting for the FBI and Justice Department to finish their investigation before commenting further on the matter and potentially dismissing other front-office personnel. Since learning of the allegations in February, the Cardinals have been running their own internal investigation, led by Jim Martin and the law firm Dowd Bennett.
That investigation, Mozeliak said on Thursday, is ongoing.
According to CNN, the FBI has turned over its information to the Houston U.S. attorney's office, which will then determine whether to bring charges against anyone. The attorney's office declined to comment on the matter.