The Ippei Mizuhara scandal is getting another turn in the spotlight later this month when ESPN releases its new “30 for 30” podcast “The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani.”
Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter and friend, was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for stealing almost $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar to pay gambling debts.
He also was unsurprisingly fired by the Dodgers as Ohtani’s interpreter.
Now, ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson will delve into the scandal and release audio from the only interview Mizuhara gave about the theft.
‘Collapse of the friendship’
Hearing from Mizuhara will likely shed light on a colossal story.
After all, the revelation of the scandal came shortly after Ohtani signed with the Dodgers for 10 years and $700 million — a record at the time.
“A few weeks before Ohtani signed that deal, Thompson received a tip involving millions of dollars transferred from Ohtani’s bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation,” ESPN explained in a news release. “As Ohtani prepared to take the field for his first season in Los Angeles, Mizuhara, Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, told Thompson that Ohtani had helped him pay off his gambling debts — only for the story to change dramatically within the next 24 hours. After Mizuhara admitted to stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani, questions quickly emerged about how one of sports’ most trusted relationships had unraveled.”
The podcast also features interviews with the bookie, Mathew Bowyer, and three federal agents involved in Mizuhara’s prosecution, as well as text messages between Mizuhara and Ohtani.
When does the podcast come out?
The first two episodes of the six-part series come out on July 28, with one episode each coming out on the following Tuesdays and Thurdays. The full schedule is below:
- July 28 – Episode 1: The Letter O
- July 28 – Episode 2: The Interview
- July 30 – Episode 3: Baseball Boy
- Aug. 4 – Episode 4: The Bookie
- Aug. 6 – Episode 5: The Feds
- Aug. 11 – Episode 6: Footnote
You can listen on 30for30podcasts.com, ESPN or anywhere podcasts are available.
