The Dodgers superstar's representatives have accused Ippei Mizuhara of stealing money from the athlete to bet with an allegedly illegal bookmaker, the LA Times reported.
The Dodgers' interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was fired Wednesday amid allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star, according to the Los Angeles Timeswhich was the first to report the news.
Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani's close friend and interpreter, was accused of “mass theft” and using the athlete's funds to cover bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker.
“During the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei was a victim of mass theft and are turning the matter over to the authorities,” law firm Berk Brettler LLP said. The times.
Ohtani's attorneys accused the interpreter of theft after the publication reportedly learned the ballplayer's name came up during a search for Orange County resident Mathew Bowyer. In response to the newspaper's questions, Ohtani's representatives looked into the matter.
Bowyer, a bookmaker, dealt directly with Mizuhara, who is betting on soccer and other sports – except baseball – starting in 2021, sources said ESPN. The payments were transferred from Ohtani's account to an associate of Bowyer's, according to sources and bank records reviewed by the outlet. Sources said the funds covered Mizuhara's losses and that the athlete does not gamble.
According The timesthe investigation into Bowyer involves the same prosecutorial team investigating a multimillion-dollar illegal sports gambling scheme surrounding a betting operation led by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach.
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