The Los Angeles Dodgers’ gem Shohei Ohtani, has become an unfortunate victim of shocking betrayal. Federal authorities have alleged that Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s former interpreter, is directly involved in bank fraud deeper than initially thought. As per the latest update, the former friend of the two-way phenom has been accused of stealing a staggering $16 million over two years. All this, to feed a gambling addiction.

This betrayal cut deep by not only jeopardizing the Unicorn’s public image but also by questioning the credibility of the long history between Ohtani and Mizuhara. The 39-year-old had served as Ohtani’s interpreter since 2018. He accompanied him everywhere from dugouts, and press conferences to even trips abroad. 

Downward spiral fueled by desperation – Ippei Mizuhara’s doomed decisions 

The affidavit uses the words, “de facto manager” as an adjective to define his relationship with Ohtani. All this was diluted in a matter of days and they lost their bond to the exploits of personal gain. Per the complaint, Mizuhara’s gambling issues started in September 2021. Text messages revealed a gambler spiraling out of control. 

There were bets in the range of $10 to a staggering $160,000. Believe it or not, there was an average of 25 bets per day. These bets resulted in a total loss of over $40 million. This further dwarfs the alleged $16 million was was robbed from Ohtani. Desperate pleas to the bookmaker for further credit claiming to be “terrible” at sports betting skills paint a picture of a man in over his head.

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The uncovered affidavit underlines a meticulously curated web of lies. The interpreter allegedly cut off Ohtani’s financial advisors and accountant from the account. There were in fact false claims that the baseball star preferred privacy. So much so that he even impersonated Ohtani over the phone to authorize transfers.

Quite interestingly, the complaint highlights that winnings from the bets were deposited into Mizuhara’s account, not Ohtani’s. Now this strengthens one thing. Perhaps the Unicorn was not a willing participant in this after all. There have been adamant claims by the federal authorities that Ohtani is a victim in this case. 

To this day, no evidence of him knowing about the gambling or even authorizing the transfers has been found. The complaint details how Ohtani first got to know about the scheme during a team meeting. Since then, he has cooperated fully during the investigation, even turning over his phone to investigators. In a press conference, Ohtani, through a translator, expressed shock and betrayal, stating, “I do want to make it clear I never bet on sports or have willfully sent money to the bookmaker.”

Ippei Mizuhara Scandal: Shohei Ohtani Credits His Wife Mamiko Tanaka For Standing By Him

A Word of Caution To The World Of Sports 

Mizuhara is likely to face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. The Dodgers let him go in March after news of the scandal shook the MLB world. Major League Baseball is also conducting an investigation of the matter to determine if any more action would have to be carried out.  This case is a testament to the dangers of misplaced trust. More so when it comes to robust financial safeguards.

The affidavit also throws light on a larger investigation into illegal sports betting in Southern California. There have been charges against 12 people, including former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix as a ripple effect of this investigation. Nix allegedly ran a bookmaking operation which was frequented by celebrities like Scottie Pippen and Yasiel Puig. This issue seems much bigger than it initially was thought to be. 

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