Major League Baseball legend Pete Rose‘s death at 83 has thrust his controversial history with the league back into the spotlight.

Knewz.com can exclusively reveal the man known as ‘Charlie Hustle’ allegedly ran a gambling ring from prison after being banished from sports for life for betting on baseball games – including some involving his own team, the Cincinnati Reds.

While serving a five-month stint for tax evasion in 1990 and 1991, sources claimed the disgraced baseball star was still breaking the law by gambling and violating prison rules by selling his autographs to fellow inmates.

The source said: “He rarely worked at his prison job as a welder—and spent his days watching TV and making bets on different sports. He even used a phone to place bets outside the prison.”

A fellow inmate spilled: “He’d gamble on anything.”

The convicted felon also reportedly had steak and lobster dinners smuggled in

Before going to the Marion Federal Prison Camp in Illinois, Rose told the judge: “I’m very sorry. I am very ashamed to be here in front of you.”

But he changed his tune when he was behind bars, and a reporter asked if he’d learned his lesson.

Rose infamously said: “Well, the only thing I learned is that you’re not supposed to get caught.”

Despite a spokesman for the prison declaring “gambling is strictly illegal in prison”, it didn’t stop Rose.

Insiders claimed he was making bets as high as $100 – which is considered big money behind bars.

A guard inside the prison claimed Rose would place bets on his beloved Reds before the prisoners would watch the games on TV.

The prison guard said: “Even though he’s a hero to many, his rule violations show that hero image wouldn’t last long anymore.”

A prison official added: “When he first came to prison, he made the mistake of placing some bets on the prisoners’ telephone lines, apparently unaware that all calls are monitored and recorded.

“When the prison administrators realized what was going on, they revoked his phone privileges for a while.”

Rose was also able to make a deal to buy a special pack of Camel cigarettes he went on to autograph and sell for $10 each, calling them “Christmas specials”.

An insider at the prison said: “Rose must have picked up 300 to 500 that day, he autographed them and sold them.”

Visitors also claimed Rose had big plans for the NFL season.

Rose said: “That’s the big one where I’m going to make my next fortune!”

Sources claimed Rose was “doing well for himself” by still making bets – which was aided by his “extra privileges” behind bars.

They claimed Rose would walk out of prison unchanged and still “up to his same tricks of gambling”.

Before being banned from baseball, Rose held the record for the most career hits – 4,256 over a 24-season career.

He also won two back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976.