In light of massive events of allegations in the Baseball game, The Los Angeles Dodgers’ top-seeded player Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter pleaded guilty to illegal gambling. Shohei Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, a time friend of Ohtani, was involved in the illicit gambling with the southern California bookmaking operations.
Due to his illegal gambling habits, he was in debt with Southern California bookmaking operations, which is a total sum of up to $4.5 million.
Amid the recent allegation that resurfaced online that Los Angeles Dodgers fired the interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. When the name of Ohtani came to light that he paid the debt of his friend interpreter Mizuhara’s gambling debt, Ohtani’s spokesperson presented Mizuhara during the meeting with ESPN. Mizuhara’’s openly laid out his account in great detail.
His attorney issued a statement “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”
Major League Baseball or MLB has not allowed its players, and coaches to gamble on other sports like NFL, or NBA like their football players.
What is an Illegal Betting Case Against Ohtani’s Friends Come Interpreter Mizuhara’s
Betting and gambling are legal in nearly 40 states, but it remains illegal in California. Federal investigators are pressing the charges against the Southern California Bookmakers Matthew Bowyer and Mizuhara.
Mizuhara came into contact with the Bettor Bowyers in 2021, at the San Diego Poker game and credit later that year. His betting addiction begins from there and later leads him into debt.
The betting surmounted to $4.5 million, when he failed to pay that amount, he asked for the Ohtani’s assistance. Ohtani logged onto his own computer and sent the wire transfer under Mizuhara’s supervision in installments over several months last year. They added “Loan” to the description field in the transaction.
Mizuhara told the interviewer “We had to add a description for the wire, “I think Matt [Bowyer] might have told me to just put ‘loan.’ You had to put something.”
Mizuhara was asked why the Ohtani didn’t pay him money directly, and he said “He didn’t want me to gamble it away.”
Baseball players Shohei Ohtani and Mizuhara, both are friends. Mizuhara became an interpreter for Ohtani when the star player arrived in the US in 2018.
Mizuhara and Ohtani become inseparable as Mizuhara interprets for Ohtani with the team managers, coaches, and scouting reporters, he also worked errands for Ohtani during the game. Mizuahara told the reporters that “Ohtani has no role in his gambling habits, he is responsible for his deeds”.
The US attorney’s office in the Central District of California declined to comment on this case.
The US Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California already investigating the matter of the illegal gambling case of MGM Grand Casino owner Scott Sibella.
Now the Los Angeles Dodgers already signed an expensive deal with Ohtani which is a record $700 million. The majority of $680 million is to be paid between 2034 and 2043. Which is a highly expensive deal in baseball.