When there is smoke, there is fire. Shohei Ohtani, the remarkable two-way star in Major League Baseball, has been making headlines both on and off the field. But when it comes to the off-the-field noise, it is sadly nothing close to celebratory. 

Federal authorities have indicted Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, on federal bank fraud charges, accusing him of embezzling over $16 million from Ohtani to pay off his gambling debts. ESPN’s Jeff Passan, however, has a very different stance. He recently acknowledged the same on the latest episode of The Pat McAfee Show. 

Jeff Passan sides with Shohei Ohtani

The sports world is still reeling from the recent Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara scandal. Weighing in on the matter, former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick expressed skepticism about the allegations of theft, stating that the story simply doesn’t add up for him. ESPN’s Jeff Passan provided some clarity on the matter during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, discussing the timeline of events and how the narrative appears to have been shifted. Passan also speculated on the potential developments that could unfold from this situation. Passan questions, “Could he really hide this for as long as he allegedly did?” showing that “Human beings are really good at hiding things,” hinting at Ohtani’s innocence. 

Earlier, Ippei Mizuhara asserted that Shohei Ohtani was unaware of his illegal gambling activities, although he apologized for the ensuing controversy. Mizuhara admitted Ohtani was aware of his gambling debts, for which he had received help from the athlete. However, subsequent reports contradicted this claim, stating that Ohtani was completely in the dark about these issues, leaving fans puzzled about the actual situation.

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Alligations against Ippei Mizuhara

Mizuhara allegedly assisted Ohtani in setting up a bank account in Arizona for his baseball salary while funds from endorsements and investments were directed elsewhere. The investigation revealed the first alleged unauthorized transaction of $40,010 to Xoom.com on November 15, 2021, linked to Mizuhara’s dealings with a bookmaker.

Additionally, Mizuhara is accused of allegedly impersonating Ohtani in communications with the bank, facilitating unauthorized large wire transfers, with amounts increasing to $500,000 by May 2023. His phone also reportedly contained extensive evidence of gambling, including daily bets ranging from $10 to $160,000. This case underscores serious breaches of trust and a complete betrayal of the professional relationship, sparking urgent discussions about the need for integrity in such relationships. It has been made clear that Ohtani is not implicated in the fraudulent activities.