Ippei Mizuhara rose to prominence as the interpreter for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, but his reputation took a nosedive amidst allegations of a major gambling and potential theft scandal.
Mizuhara’s six-year association with Ohtani abruptly ended when he was dismissed by the Dodgers following accusations of “massive theft” involving Ohtani’s funds. It’s alleged that Mizuhara misappropriated $4.5 million to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker under federal scrutiny in Orange County.
However, Mizuhara vehemently denies any involvement in gambling, asserting that Ohtani has never partaken in such activities and holds a strong aversion to gambling. Diane Bass, the attorney representing the bookmaker, also affirmed that her client had no interaction with Ohtani.
RELATED: Bookie Allegedly Told People That Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani Was A Client
“Ohtani has never gambled and ‘thinks gambling is terrible.’” Thompson wrote. “He sees that people, teammates would be gambling all the time, and he’ll be like, ‘Why are they doing this? Gambling is not good.’ He would make comments like that. People would ask him to go to casinos on road trips, and he would never go. No, he’s not into it,” Via ESPN.
The scandal has cast a shadow over Ohtani’s high-profile 10-year, $700-million deal with the Dodgers, signed in December after his tenure with the Angels.
With MLB launching an investigation into the matter, the league’s strict policies against betting on baseball or engaging in illegal gambling activities have come into focus. The controversy has marred the beginning of the 2024 MLB season, overshadowing Ohtani’s much-anticipated debut with the Dodgers and leaving a stain on both his and Mizuhara’s reputations.
