Was Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani involved in illegal betting activities? There are suspicions that he may have been, or at least implicated due to his association with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, whose identity has come into question.
More clarity may emerge when Ohtani addresses the media on Monday. However, it’s evident that Orange County bookie Matthew Bowyer’s actions aren’t aiding Ohtani’s situation.
Bowyer allegedly facilitated bets from Mizuhara and received wire payments from Ohtani. According to ESPN’s Tisha Thompson, Bowyer didn’t actively dispel the notion that Ohtani himself was placing bets. Instead, he seemingly allowed people to believe so, possibly to boost his business.
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“A source said Bowyer was aware of the name on the wire transfers but chose not to ask any questions as long as payments came in; however, the source said Bowyer allowed people to believe Ohtani was a client in order to boost business,” Thompson reports.
While this doesn’t definitively implicate Ohtani in betting activities, it does suggest that he was involved in some capacity, whether knowingly or not.
Despite Ohtani’s assertion, through his representation, that he did not engage in betting and that Mizuhara stole the funds from him, suspicions linger.
Major League Baseball initially refrained from investigating the matter but has since reversed course. However, as of now, the league states it lacks sufficient evidence to mete out any punishment to Ohtani.
