Shohei Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, confessed to being a gambling addict and revealed to Ohtani that he had been stealing the baseball star’s money to pay off his debts to a bookmaker. Ohtani, who did not fully understand Mizuhara’s confession due to language barriers, called in his agent and other advisers to address the situation and protect himself from potentially being implicated in the scandal. Mizuhara was ultimately charged with bank fraud and alleged embezzlement, with prosecutors stating that Ohtani was the victim in the case. Mizuhara surrendered to law enforcement, expressed remorse, and agreed to cooperate with the legal process.
The incident unfolded during a trip to Seoul, where Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing in a season opener. The news of Mizuhara’s gambling addiction and theft shocked Major League Baseball and prompted investigations by various authorities, including the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal division and the Department of Homeland Security. Despite concerns about potentially tarnishing the sport with a gambling scandal, Ohtani cooperated with investigators and provided access to his electronic devices to assist in the probe.
Ohtani described his close relationship with Mizuhara, who served as his translator and personal assistant, managing various aspects of his business and personal affairs outside of baseball. Mizuhara stole $16 million from an account that was set up to deposit Ohtani’s baseball earnings and used the money for illegal sports betting. Although there was no evidence that Ohtani was aware of the gambling activities, the bookmaker involved in the scheme was aware of Mizuhara’s connection to the baseball star, which added another layer of complexity to the case.
Investigations revealed text messages between Mizuhara and the bookmaker discussing mounting losses and increases to credit limits. Mizuhara used Ohtani’s money to purchase baseball cards, which he planned to resell. The authorities charged Mizuhara with bank fraud and detailed the extent of his embezzlement scheme, which involved thousands of bets and millions of dollars in winnings and losses. Notably, none of Mizuhara’s bets were on baseball games, which helped alleviate concerns that Ohtani or Major League Baseball could be implicated in a gambling scandal.
Ohtani addressed the media and provided a detailed account of Mizuhara’s theft, expressing his willingness to cooperate with investigations and clear his name from any wrongdoing. As the Dodgers continued their season, Ohtani became more engaged with his teammates and focused on his performance on the field. The baseball community closely followed the developments of the case, which highlighted the potential risks associated with gambling addictions and the importance of transparency and accountability in professional sports. Despite the challenges and controversies that arose from the incident, Ohtani remained committed to his career and sought to move forward from the turmoil caused by Mizuhara’s actions.
