Shohei Ohtani, the two-way baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has found himself embroiled in a gambling scandal involving his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Ohtani maintains that he has never bet on sports and denies any knowledge of Mizuhara’s gambling habits. However, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who himself was involved in a betting scandal, believes that Ohtani must have been aware of Mizuhara’s activities. According to Donaghy, Major League Baseball likely downplayed Ohtani’s involvement in order to protect his global image and popularity among fans.
Donaghy also questions Mizuhara’s claims of never betting on baseball, given the extensive number of bets he was found to have placed over a two-year period. Mizuhara’s bets ranged from $10 to $160,000 and he was placing an average of 25 bets per day. Donaghy suspects that Mizuhara likely bet on Ohtani’s games as well. Despite these allegations, both MLB and Ohtani’s agent have yet to comment on Donaghy’s statements. The scandal has also drawn comparisons to Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, who was banned from baseball due to his own gambling activities.
Ippei Mizuhara is facing legal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion in connection with the gambling scandal. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada has described Mizuhara’s actions as a massive deception, highlighting the extent of his theft from Ohtani. As Ohtani’s former interpreter and de facto manager, Mizuhara had access to Ohtani’s bank accounts, allowing him to withdraw funds to fuel his gambling addiction. Mizuhara is set to plead guilty to the charges, and will be required to repay Ohtani an estimated $17 million. Ohtani has expressed shock and disappointment at Mizuhara’s betrayal, emphasizing that he never engaged in any form of sports betting.
Despite the scandal, Ohtani remains one of the highest-paid players in MLB, having signed a lucrative 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. The scandal has raised questions about the extent of Ohtani’s involvement in Mizuhara’s gambling activities and has tarnished the reputation of the former interpreter. Ohtani continues to maintain his innocence, stating that he has never bet on sports or asked anyone to do so on his behalf. The fallout from the scandal serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of gambling addiction and the consequences of breaching the trust placed in individuals in positions of influence. The legal proceedings against Mizuhara are ongoing, and Ohtani remains focused on his career with the Dodgers.
