Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star, finds himself embroiled in a significant controversy at the very start of the season. The Dodgers terminated Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter, following allegations of extensive theft connected to gambling activities, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
On Friday, Major League Baseball (MLB) took the step of initiating an investigation into the situation surrounding the Dodgers’ standout player and the theft accusations leveled against Mizuhara. “Upon learning about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the media, Major League Baseball has been actively collecting information. Earlier today, our Department of Investigations (DOI) commenced their official investigation into the matter,” MLB stated.
Legal representatives for Ohtani have stated that Mizuhara, a close associate of the Dodgers’ dual-role star, engaged in betting activities using Ohtani’s funds with a bookmaker currently under federal investigation for operating illegally.
According to sources cited by ESPN, there were wire transfers amounting to at least $4.5 million from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation. MLB’s gambling policy strictly prohibits players, umpires, and any club or league officials or employees from engaging in betting on games or any other sporting events.
It’s also important to note that sports betting remains illegal in the state of California.
Initially, Mizuhara claimed to ESPN that Ohtani had agreed to settle the gambling debts. However, he later changed his story, asserting that Ohtani was completely unaware of the situation and had no involvement in it.
This Sunday, it was revealed that Ohtani plans to make his first public comments about the controversy on Monday. This announcement will mark the 29-year-old’s first public statement since the news broke.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts informed reporters on Sunday that the scandal has not caused any distractions within the team’s clubhouse. He mentioned that he and Ohtani have had discussions over the past few days.