Florida man accused of secretly selling MLB pitcher's boat, keeping money

Oct 6 (Reuters) - A former personal assistant for Bronson Arroyo secretly sold the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher's yacht and kept the money, authorities in Florida said on Tuesday. Anthony Acosta, 38, of Tampa was charged with grand theft and forgery and is being held in Hillsborough County Jail on a $50,000 bond, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a statement. Acosta is accused of forging Arroyo's signature on a bill of sale document and selling his 2006 Concept Boat to an unaware buyer in Opa-locka, Florida, pocketing the $22,000 from the transaction in 2013, according to an arrest warrant. But his plan unraveled when the buyer learned of a $100,000 lien still on the boat and contacted Arroyo, the warrant said. Arroyo had fired Acosta as his personal assistant in 2012 because he made mistakes, was unreliable and took prescription drugs, according to the arrest warrant. An All-Star in 2006 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds, Arroyo currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers but is on the disabled list. The 38-year-old right-hander has played for several teams during his 15-year career, including the Boston Red Sox in 2004, when they won the World Series. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)