Shohei Ohtani on Monday addressed the sports betting scandal surrounding his former interpreter, he shared that he had never bet on sports or knowingly paid any gambling debts.
Shohei Ohtani: “Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) March 25, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar broke his silence on the situation and painted a picture of betrayal by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, he denied any involvement.
Ohtani claimed his close friend lied to him for years and had even stolen millions from the two-time MVP. During a news conference at Dodger Stadium, five days after Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers Ohtani said.
“I’m very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this. Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has been telling lies. I never bet on sports or have willfully sent money to the bookmaker.”
He also added,
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf, and I have never gone through a bookmaker to bet on sports and was never asked to assist betting payment for anyone else.”
Following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well over $1 million. The 39-year-old Mizuhara was reported to be fired last week as a translator after attorneys for the Japanese phenom said he was the victim of a “massive theft.”
The IRS is also conducting a criminal investigation of Mizuhara and Major League Baseball is conducting its internal probe.
The IRS has also confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles field office.
As Nippon.com reported Mizuhara had met Ohtani when he worked as an interpreter for the Hokkaidō Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League.
