Shohei Ohtani Interpreter Fired for Alleged Gambling Scandal
Dodgers Betting Scandal: Conflicting Reports About Ohtani's Role
Shohei Ohtani’s marriage with the Dodgers is off to an inauspicious start.
Just hours after Los Angeles rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Padres in Seoul, South Korea, Ohtani’s interpreter and longtime friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired amid allegations of “massive theft” in a case tied to sports gambling.
Ohtani’s legal team accuses Mizuhara of stealing millions of dollars of the superstar’s money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker.
At the moment, Ohtani isn’t facing any discipline from MLB, nor is he under investigation by the league, according to the Athletic. But whether Ohtani is directly involved or not, him being mentioned in this Dodgers betting scandal is an issue for the sport.
The two-way superstar from Japan hit 44 homers and 95 RBI while posting a .304/.412/.654 slash line last season. As a pitcher, he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. One of the most sought-after free agents in sports history, the 29-year-old Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December after six years with the crosstown Angels.
As such, the Dodgers face massive expectations this season. The best sports betting sites price them as +350 favorites to win the World Series, with a projected win total of 103.5.
Ohtani’s Role Unclear
Ohtani’s representatives have already offered conflicting reports regarding what he knew about Mizuhara’s gambling debts, which included at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaker. Mind you, this involves the same bookmaker that is under federal investigation.
In an interview with ESPN, Mizuhara said he’d incurred debt betting on the NBA, NFL, college football, and international soccer but had never wagered on baseball. That is prohibited by MLB rules.
“Obviously (Ohtani) wasn’t happy about it and said he would help me out to make sure I never do this again,” Mizuhara said. “He decided to pay it off for me.
“I want everyone to know that Shohei had zero involvement in betting. I want people to know I did not know this was illegal. I learned my lesson the hard way. I will never do sports betting ever again.”
In a bizarre twist, a spokesman for Ohtani later disputed Mizuhara’s account. Muzuhara changed his story, saying that Ohtani was unaware of his gambling debts and that Ohtani had not transferred money to the illegal bookmaker.
The Dodgers confirmed Mizuhara’s firing in a statement, saying they were “aware of media reports and are gathering information” but would have no further comment on this Dodgers betting scandal.
Superstar Mum on Scandal
Ohtani did not speak with reporters before or after Thursday’s game, a 15-11 loss to San Diego to conclude the series in South Korea.
According to the Los Angeles Times, allegations around Mizuhara surfaced as authorities investigated Matthew Bowyer, a bookmaker in Southern California. Bowyer’s lawyer said that her client “never met, spoke with, or texted, or had any contact in any way with Shohei Ohtani.”
While sports betting is now legal in 40 U.S. states, it remains prohibited in California. Thirty states — including Washington, D.C. — allow sports betting online.
Stay tuned for more updates on this Dodgers betting scandal.
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