The Chicago White Sox fired three members of their scouting staff over some suspected foul play with the finances of freshly-signed players.

The CHICAGO TRIBUNE reports that scouting director David Wilder and scouts Victor Mateo & Domingo Toribio were let go on Friday for “violations of club policy and standards“. The three were tossed amid an ongoing federal investigation into scouting & signing practices.

So, what exactly did the guys supposedly do that was so wrong?

White Sox GM Ken Williams was tight-lipped about the reasons for the three dismissals. But word is that trio was in trouble for taking money from Latin American signees:

Williams wouldn’t say if financial improprieties were involved, but a source with knowledge of the probe said there were questions regarding the manner in which signing bonuses were distributed to Latin American prospects. Investigators were seeking to determine if Wilder and dismissed scouts Victor Mateo and Domingo Toribio were skimming from those bonus payments.

Stealing from these poor players? That’s a bit low. For many Latin athletes, baseball is a way out of impoverished conditions. Why, some players are even willing to risk lying about their age and endure inquisitions from “E:60″ interviewers, just to escape their abject poverty.

So, how else can Sox management punish these alleged misers? Leave them down in South America sans paychecks from Jerry Reinsdorf? Lock them in a room with Ozzie Guillen & Jay Mariotti?