Reps of the Dodgers superstar accused Ippei Mizuhara of stealing funds from the athlete in order to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker, the LA Times reported
The Dodgers interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was fired Wednesday amid allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star, according to the Los Angeles Times, which was first to report the news.
Ippei Mizuhara, a close friend and interpreter for Ohtani, was accused of “massive theft” and using the athlete’s funds to cover bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker.
“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,” law firm Berk Brettler LLP told The Times.
Ohtani’s lawyers accused the interpreter of theft after the publication reportedly learned that the ballplayer’s name surfaced during an investigation of Orange County resident, Mathew Bowyer. In response to the paper’s inquires, Ohtani’s reps looked into the matter.
Bowyer, a bookmaker, dealt directly with Mizuhara, who placed bets on soccer matches and other sports — except for baseball — beginning in 2021, sources told ESPN. Payments were wired from Ohtani’s account to an associate of Bowyer’s, per sources and bank data reviewed by the outlet. Sources said that the funds covered Mizuhara’s losses and that the athlete does not gamble.
According to The Times, the probe into Bowyer involves the same prosecution team investigating a multimillion-dollar illegal sports gambling scheme surrounding a bookmaking operation led by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach.
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