The Shadow Industry Behind Baseball's Sweetest Deals The Dominican Republic has long been synonymous with baseball talent, producing some of the world's most skilled players.
However, beneath the surface of lucrative contracts lies a dark reality: a thriving industry of moneylenders who prey on vulnerable families, extracting millions from aspiring ballplayers.
At the heart of this story is Belfi Rivera, a 14 year old prodigy promised $1. 8 million by the Arizona Diamondbacks after his 16th birthday.