HBT: Chapman sued for $18M for Cuban govt. work

Arolids Chapman defected from Cuba, presumably seeking freedom and fortune in the United States. ?Someone, however, is suing Chapman, alleging that when he was back in Cuba, he?worked with the Cuban State Security apparatus and helped organize the arrest, imprisonment, and torture of a Cuban-American by the name of Danilo Curbelo Garc?a.

This report comes?from a pair of Miami-based Spanish language papers (here and here) that our friend Nick Collias of MLB Trade Rumors read and translated for us. ?Obviously it?s impossible to know the truth behind any of this now, but here is the essence of the lawsuit ? filed in U.S. Court pursuant to the Alien Tort Claims Act ? which seeks $18 million:

?Chapman conspired with unidentified agents from the repressive State Security and with the Cuban government to violate the established law of nations, and provoke the arbitrary and prolonged detention and torture of the plaintiff [Curbelo Garcia].????

Here?s Curbelo Garcia?s wife, Mayl?n Turruellas M?ndez, quoted in the latter report, describing events which allegedly occurred:

?My husband only praised him as an athlete and told him that in the US he could earn millions,? Turruelas explained. ?Days later, the police showed up at his parents? house and told him that he was under investigation. Later, they arrested him. To this day, I?m convinced that Chapman was working with State Security. It?s known that he had a meeting with Raul Castro. My husband isn?t the only one imprisoned because of Chapman. He was the principal witness in the case, and his statement was full of lies. That?s the only way they?d let him return to the Cuban team.?

The family?s lawyer Avelino Gonzalez told Ebro that both Chapman and his father testified in Cuba against Curbelo Garcia, leading to his arrest for ?attempted human trafficking.?

The implication is that after Chapman?s original defection attempt, which failed, he informed on Garcia in order to get back on the Cuban national team.

These are obviously explosive allegations. ?I?m sure that Chapman, his agent and his attorneys will have something to say about it soon. ?In the meantime, stay tuned.

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