Federal officials have concluded their investigation into Shohei Ohtani and found no evidence of wrongdoing on his part.
According to TMZ Sports, Ohtani was deemed a victim of fraud perpetrated by his ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who embezzled millions from Ohtani’s account to cover an illegal gambling debt.
The investigation revealed that Ohtani had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s activities.
Federal officials have finalized their findings, stating that Shohei Ohtani has not engaged in any wrongdoing and has no ties to gambling or bookmaking.
According to the report, Ohtani has been completely exonerated from any involvement in the matter.
Meanwhile, it’s anticipated that charges will soon be brought against Ippei Mizuhara in connection with the case.
The scandal emerged last month when the Dodgers terminated Ippei Mizuhara, who had served as Shohei Ohtani’s translator and close confidant, amidst allegations of significant financial misconduct against Ohtani.
Initially, Mizuhara claimed that Ohtani had assisted him in transferring funds to settle his gambling debts.
However, he later retracted this statement. The latest TMZ report reveals that the federal investigation has debunked Mizuhara’s claims of Ohtani’s involvement.
In his first public statement since the scandal surfaced, Ohtani vehemently refuted any suggestion of a gambling issue on his part.
He clarified that he became aware of Mizuhara’s gambling activities simultaneously with the rest of his Dodgers teammates.
With the federal investigation confirming Ohtani’s innocence, it appears unlikely that he will face repercussions in the ongoing MLB probe into the matter.
