Report: Ohtani’s interpreter fired amid allegations he stole millions from Dodger slugger

Shohei Ohtani's interpreter was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers today amid allegations he stole millions of dollars from the Japanese slugger to place bets with a purported illegal bookmaker, according to an online report.   

Attorneys for Ohtani, responding to inquiries from the Los Angeles Times, told the paper in a statement Wednesday, ``In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.''

According to The Times, the paper made inquiries about the matter after learning that Ohtani's name had surfaced in a federal investigation of Orange County resident and alleged illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. Sources told the paper that Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had allegedly stolen money from the Dodgers star to place bets, and the amount of money involved was in the millions of dollars, according to The Times.   

Dodger officials told The Times that Mizuhara was fired by the team on Wednesday. The Dodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mizuhara has been Ohtani's personal interpreter since he signed with the Angels in 2017. According to The Times, Mizuhara was born in Japan but raised in Southern California, attending Diamond Bar High School and UC Riverside.

Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December following six seasons with the Angels, and Mizuhara remained with him.   

ESPN reported Wednesday there had been at least $4.5 million in wire transfers from Ohtani's bank account to the bookmaking operation. A spokesman for Ohtani initially told ESPN that Ohtani had transferred the money to cover Mizuhara's gambling debts.

Bowyer's attorney, Diane Bass, told The Times and ESPN he has never met or spoken with Ohtani. A source told ESPN that Bowyer was aware that Ohtani's name was on the wire transfers, but he didn't ask any questions as long as the money was coming in.

Bowyer's San Juan Capistrano home was searched by federal agents last year.   

According to ESPN, Mizuhara gave the network a 90-minute interview Tuesday night in which he laid out his side of the story -- an interview arranged by an Ohtani spokesman. But after the interview, the same spokesman disavowed Mizuhara's account and said a statement would be made instead by Ohtani's attorneys, which happened Wednesday alleging the ``massive theft.''   

During the ESPN interview, Mizuhara, 39, said he asked Ohtani last year to pay off his gambling debts, and Ohtani, while unhappy about it, agreed to do so. Mizuhara told the network that Ohtani had no involvement in any betting, and the interpreter insisted that he didn't realize his betting activities were illegal in California. He also said he never bet on any baseball games.

On Wednesday, however, Mizuhara recanted his comments, telling ESPN that Ohanti had no knowledge of his gambling debts and denying that Ohtani had transferred any money to the bookmaking operation.

A Dodger spokesperson told ESPN that Mizuhara spoke in the team clubhouse after its season-opening game in Korea Wednesday morning, taking all blame for a story that was about to become public and admitting he has a gambling addiction.

According to The Times and ESPN, the investigation into Bowyer, who has not been charged with a crime, involves the same prosecutors who investigated an Orange County-based gambling ring led by Wayne Nix, 46, a former minor league baseball player from Newport Coast. Nix pleaded guilty to a federal charge of helping operate an illegal sports gambling business. A sentencing date has not been set.

Nix's longtime partner in the gambling operation, Edon Kagasoff, 45, of Lake Forest, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and was sentenced last year to six months of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit $3.1 million he earned through the operation.   

That investigation also ensnared former Dodger slugger Yasiel Puig, who is facing one federal count each of making false statements and obstruction of justice. He initially agreed to plead guilty but later changed his mind. A trial date has not been set.