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Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani (R) and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (C) look at the Dodgers' MLB season-opening game against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, March 20, 2024 (issued March 21, 2024). Jiji Press via EPA-EFE

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Shohei Ohtani's translator and close friend, Ippei Mizuhara fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171116911497712110633.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani (R) and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (C) look at the Dodgers&#x27; MLB season-opening game against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, March 20, 2024 (issued March 21, 2024). Jiji Press via EPA-EFE"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani (R) and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (C) look at the Dodgers&#x27; MLB season-opening game against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, March 20, 2024 (issued March 21, 2024). <em>Jiji Press via EPA-EFE</em></span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of &quot;massive theft.&quot;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani&#x27;s long-time interpreter and close friend, on Thursday after Ohtani&#x27;s representatives alleged the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,&quot; Major League Baseball said in a statement.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;Earlier today, our Department of Investigations (DOI) began their formal process investigating the matter.&quot;</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/21/dodgers-fire-ohtani-s-interpreter-after-theft-reports-1549"></a><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/21/dodgers-fire-ohtani-s-interpreter-after-theft-reports-1549">READ: Dodgers fire Ohtani&#x27;s interpreter after theft reports</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ESPN reported that MLB is expected to request interviews with all parties, including Ohtani and Mizuhara, although officials cannot compel Mizuhara&#x27;s cooperation because he no longer works in the major leagues.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The murky affair emerged this week when West Hollywood law firm Berk and Brettler issued a statement on behalf of Ohtani after receiving media inquiries about a reported federal investigation into alleged illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer in which Ohtani&#x27;s name surfaced.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;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,&quot; the law firm said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ESPN reported that questions had arisen around &quot;at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani&#x27;s bank account&quot; to an associate for Bowyer.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">ESPN said that multiple sources, including Mizuhara himself, told the media outlet that Ohtani doesn&#x27;t gamble and that the funds covered Mizuhara&#x27;s losses.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Bowyer&#x27;s lawyer, Diane Bass, told the Los Angeles Times that Bowyer had never had any contact with Ohtani.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Major League Baseball&#x27;s gambling policy bars &quot;any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee&quot; from betting on baseball or making illegal bets on any other sport.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While sports betting has been legalized in a majority of US states, online betting and retail sports books remain illegal in California.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ohtani himself has yet to comment on the affair, which has sparked intense speculation around MLB as the 2024 season gets underway.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The 29-year-old two-way star, who has been likened to a modern-day version of Babe Ruth, has emerged as the global face of the game.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">He joined the Dodgers in December on a 10-year deal worth a stunning $700 million after playing six MLB seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ohtani and the Dodgers were greeted by ecstatic crowds when the team played two regular-season games against the San Diego Padres in South Korea this week.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/ohtani-leads-dodgers-to-5-2-win-over-padres-in-seoul-opener-041"></a><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/ohtani-leads-dodgers-to-5-2-win-over-padres-in-seoul-opener-041">READ: Ohtani leads Dodgers to 5-2 win over Padres in Seoul opener</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>- Conflicting accounts -</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The club&#x27;s Ohtani era began with a 5-2 victory over the Padres in Seoul before news of the matter broke.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Dodgers confirmed they had sacked Mizuhara before falling to the Padres 15-11 in the second game.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had insisted it was &quot;business as normal&quot; for his team, but their new superstar will be under scrutiny as they prepare for their home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While lawyers for Ohtani said had been the victim of theft, ESPN reported that before that allegation Mizuhara completed an interview with the sports outlet in which he claimed Ohtani had actually paid off his gambling debts of at least $4.5 million.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Before that interview was published, however, Mizuhara altered his story and said Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and did not transfer the money from his accounts himself.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CNN reported on Friday that the Internal Revenue Service is involved in an investigation involving Bowyer and Mizuhara.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mizuhara, who was born in Japan but brought up in Southern California, became Ohtani&#x27;s personal interpreter when he signed with the Angels in 2017 and followed him to the Dodgers.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></span></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2988826"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>

<p>MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of "massive theft."</p>

MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of "massive theft."

MLB launches investigation of Ohtani and ex-interpreter scandal

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MLB launches investigation of Ohtani and ex-interpreter scandal

Agence France-Presse

Published Mar 23, 2024 12:48 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 23, 2024 02:15 PM PHT

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