According to the letter, Tejada responded, "No, I never heard," when a committee staffer asked whether he was aware of any discussions among other players about steroids. He also answered "No" to whether he knew of anyone using steroids, and if he had taken them in the past, which contrasts with Piatt's testimony.
Making false statements to Congress is a felony. Tejada could face a maximum five-year prison term if the Justice Department brought a case and he was convicted of knowingly making materially false statements.
Interviewed Tuesday during a break in the hearing, Orioles owner Peter Angelos said, "Everyone is innocent until proven otherwise." The FBI's preliminary investigation is the latest development in a difficult and emotionally painful week for Tejada, whose older brother, Freddy, was killed Tuesday in the coastal city of Bani in the Dominican Republic after his motorcycle collided with an SUV.
