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LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani’s first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing an unprecedented 10-year $700 million contract during the off-season has been marred following the firing of his interpreter and longtime confidant Ippei Mizuhara due to allegations of an exorbitant multi-million dollar theft. The criminal investigation is apparently close to a conclusion, which will bring a guilty plea from the interpreter, according to reports.
Mizuhara is “in negotiations” to plead guilty to federal crimes, according to a New York Times report on Wednesday. He was terminated by the Dodgers in March after being accused of stealing millions of Ohtani’s money to cover sports gambling debts. Mizuhara initially claimed Ohtani was willingly covering his debts for him, before recanting the statement.
Ohtani said he was blindsided by the betrayal and made a statement that he had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s gambling activity while completely distancing himself from his longtime interpreter who had been with him since he came to America, signing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.
“All of this has been a complete lie,” Ohtani said on March 25. “I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker.”
The two-time American League MVP who uniquely hits and pitches was the victim of fraud and had no knowledge of the alleged scheme that cost him at least $4.5 million, TMZ reported, citing law enforcement sources.
Ohtani and Mizuhara first met when the two-way star was a member of a Japanese baseball club. Mizuhara has interpreted for Ohtani during hundreds of interviews, and accompanied him from the Angels to the Dodgers.
The federal investigation, which is almost concluded, is being handled by the Los Angeles offices of the IRS’ criminal division, the Department of Homeland Security along with the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California, according to the New York Times.
“Authorities think they have evidence that Mizuhara was able to change the settings on Ohtani’s bank account so Ohtani would not receive alerts and confirmations about transactions,” wrote Tim Arango and Michael S. Schmidt, citing the three people briefed on the matter.
Moreover, the now disgraced interpreter may have boosted more than the $4.5 million that had originally been reported.
Mizuhara reportedly used an illegal bookmaker to place bets on sports and racked up millions in debts that he later paid off using money stolen from Ohtani’s account, KTLA reported.
The Dodgers organization fired Mizuhara after federal investigators tied him to an ongoing investigation involving the alleged bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, a resident of Orange County.
Mizuhara is expected to face charges in the coming days, though it is not clear what specific crimes he will be charged with, the New York Post reported.
Major League Baseball launched its own investigation into Mizuhara’s alleged dealing in illegal sports gambling, and specifically whether he placed bets on MLB games, which he has denied.
Ohtani has pledged to provide his full cooperation with any investigation related to Mizuhara’s alleged illegal activity.
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