MLB Inquiry Into Ohtani and Mizuhara Allegations

Monday’s speech by Shohei Ohtani is scheduled amid a probe into claims of theft made against his interpreter.

TFD – Explore the controversy surrounding Ohtani and Mizuhara, as MLB investigates allegations of theft and gambling. Get the latest updates on this developing sports scandal.

Superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled to speak to the media on Monday while Major League Baseball looks into claims of theft made against his former interpreter.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday, “I’m happy he’s going to speak – speak to what he knows and give his thoughts on the whole situation.” “I believe it will provide us with some additional clarity.”

Roberts spoke before the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over Ohtani’s former team, the Los Angeles Angels. On Monday, the teams square off once more at Dodger Stadium.

Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s longtime Japanese interpreter, was let go after the player’s attorneys accused him of “massive theft” of millions of dollars and placing wagers with a bookmaker that was the subject of a federal investigation. The story was first broken by ESPN and the Los Angeles Times.

The controversy has overshadowed the opening of MLB’s newest season, cast doubt on the public’s perception of one of baseball’s biggest stars, and increased attention on the relationship between professional sports and gambling.

Although he did business with Mizuhara, Mathew Bowyer’s lawyer, who is the former bookmaker under federal investigation for gambling, claimed he never met Ohtani or had “any direct contact” with him.

Matthew Bowyer never spoke with Shohei Ohtani via phone, email, text, or any other means, according to Diane Bass, the lawyer, who talked with CNN on camera on Saturday.

The lawyer added that Ohtani’s interpreter never placed a baseball wager.

The interpreter is the subject of separate investigations by the Internal Revenue Service and the MLB.

In a press release last week, Major League Baseball stated, “Since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media, we have been gathering information.” “Our Department of Investigations started their official investigation process earlier today.”

Both Mizuhara and Bowyer are under investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office, IRS spokesman Scott Villiard told CNN on Friday. According to bankruptcy court records, Bowyer, a resident of California, owed $425,000 in gambling debt more than ten years ago.

According to MLB.com, Ohtani and Mizuhara initially collaborated in 2013–2017 when Mizuhara worked as a translator for Ohtani’s team in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan, the Nippon-Ham Fighters. As CNN previously reported, Ohtani asked Mizuhara to accompany him as his translator for his rookie season when he signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. Mizuhara subsequently followed the star to the Dodgers.

On CNN’s “The Lead” on Wednesday, ESPN’s Tisha Thompson reported, citing multiple anonymous sources, that at least $4.5 million had been taken out of Ohtani’s bank accounts through wire transfers; however, it is unknown who made the initial request.

CNN has contacted the agency of Mizuhara and Ohtani for comment. Questions concerning the controversy that surfaced as Ohtani made his eagerly awaited debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers were raised by the fact that Ohtani’s lawyers have not explained how they think the money was taken.

The bookie’s lawyer addresses CNN

Attorney Bass for Bowyer informed CNN that her client had communication with Ippei Mizuhara.

Bass stated on Saturday that, “as far as Mr. Bowyer understood, the bet was from Ippei, or it was being covered by Mr. Ohtani for Ippei,” in reference to Ohtani’s name on “one of the wire transfers to Bowyer’s organization to cover a bet.”

Bowyer is the subject of a federal investigation, but Bass made it clear that he is not facing any criminal charges. She claimed that in October 2023, Bowyer ceased his bookmaking business because “feds showed up at his house.”

According to Bass, Bowyer met Mizuhara following a Padres game in San Diego in 2022. She told CNN that although she is unaware of Mizuhara’s frequency or amount of betting, Bowyer informed her that Mizuhara often wagered on sports, “primarily soccer, occasionally football and basketball, but it was never baseball.”

On Tuesday, Mizuhara said to ESPN, “I never bet on baseball. That is a whole hundred percent. I was aware of that regulation. We will discuss that at our spring training meeting.

Mizuhara’s gaming “got out of hand at a certain point,” according to Bass, but “he was making regular payments for a significant amount of time.”

Bass said, “I honestly don’t know how many transfers came from which account(s), (or) whether it was more than one account,” in response to the question of whether account Mizuhara or Ohtani’s was making the payments. I’m not privy to that knowledge,” she said to CNN.

Changing claims and justifications

Reporters started the issue by posing queries regarding purported wire transactions made from Ohtani’s bank account. This is how the controversy developed:

In an interview conducted on Tuesday, which ESPN obtained through Ohtani’s agent, Mizuhara stated that he had requested Ohtani to settle his debt from gambling the previous year. According to Mizuhara, Ohtani was not involved in his betting.

• However, Ohtani’s representative “disavowed” Mizuhara’s version during the interview and subsequently issued a statement claiming Ohtani had been the victim of theft.

• The same day, during the team’s 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres in Wednesday’s MLB season opener in Seoul, South Korea, Mizuhara was spotted grinning in the LA dugout and chatting with Ohtani before filling in for the star.

• Mizuhara lost her job as Ohtani’s interpreter later on Wednesday.

Following its discovery of the claims made against Ohtani and Mizuhara, MLB declared on Friday that it would be opening an inquiry. Additionally, the IRS stated that it was looking into the translator.