Major League Soccer has imposed lifetime suspensions on midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah after an investigation into gambling violations.
Major League Soccer has imposed lifetime suspensions on midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah after an investigation into gambling violations.
The league confirmed the sanctions in a statement, explaining that both players were involved in extensive betting activity related to soccer during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
According to MLS, the wagers included bets on matches involving their own teams, which is strictly prohibited under league regulations.
Officials added that the investigation did not uncover proof that the betting influenced the final outcome of any matches.
The league detailed one specific incident involving the two players during a match between Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls on 19 October 2024.
MLS said Jones and Yeboah placed bets predicting that Jones would be shown a yellow card in the game.
Jones did receive the booking during the match, which raised serious concerns during the league’s review.
The investigation also concluded that the pair likely shared private information with other gamblers regarding their plan to receive yellow cards.
Yaw Yeboah, 28, had already left MLS before the announcement of the sanctions. His contract with Los Angeles FC was terminated in January, and he joined Chinese Super League club Qingdao Hainiu the following month.
The Ghana international previously spent time at Manchester City between 2014 and 2018 but never appeared for the club’s first team. During that period he had loan spells with Lille, Twente, and Oviedo.
Yeboah later played for Numancia in Spain and Wisła Krakow in Poland before moving to Columbus Crew and then LAFC in Major League Soccer.
Derrick Jones, 29, was released by Columbus Crew in November last year. The Ghana-born midfielder has spent his entire professional career in the United States.
Jones has represented clubs including Philadelphia Union, Nashville SC, Houston Dynamo, Charlotte FC and Columbus Crew, and he has also appeared for the United States at under-20 and under-23 levels.
