Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s career has gotten a ton of headlines, but his private, everyday life has been the complete opposite.
Ohtani is one of the most private marquee athletes ever, keeping much to himself despite living in Los Angeles, where the paparazzi are everywhere.
However, in 2023, things radically changed for Ohtani as he was dragged into controversy and scandal through a trusted friend and co-worker, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara was the translator for Ohtani during his time with the Angels, serving as Ohtani’s voice to English-speaking audiences.
Their relationship went back years to Ohtani’s time in Japan, where the two first met. The pair formed a bond that led Ohtani to bring Mizuhara with him.
In 2024, just as Mizuhara had joined the Dodgers alongside Ohtani, ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson conducted an interview in which the translator claimed that Ohtani had agreed to pay off his gambling debt.
A day later, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara, while Ohtani’s legal team made a statement declaring Ohtani was the victim of a theft.
Mizuhara contacted Thompson again to recant his initial story and claim that he had fabricated many parts of it.
Mizuhara defends Shohei Ohtani from gambling accusations
The audio from the initial interview has been released through ESPN’s “The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani” podcast, with Mizuhara launching a strong defense of Ohtani regarding gambling.
“I can guarantee, I’ll put my life on the line that he’s never placed any sports bets ever in his life,” Mizuhara said.
“He thinks gambling is terrible, and obviously he doesn’t need the money. He sees people, like teammates, would be gambling all the time, and he’d be like, ‘Why are they doing this? Gambling is not good.’”
Additionally, in the episode, a federal agent who reviewed thousands of messages between Ohtani and Mizuhara revealed there was no evidence of any communication between the two about sports betting.
In fact, the messages were described as “vanilla.” Mizuhara was found guilty of stealing $17 million to cover gambling losses and other expenses.
Mizuhara is currently serving a 57-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to bank fraud and false tax returns.
While those who believe Ohtani played a hand in Mizuhara’s gambling will continue to do so, the release of this interview, along with the podcast, mounts a ton of evidence to the contrary.
By all accounts, Ohtani had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s scheme and wagers, with the latest, previously unheard interview being the final nail in the coffin.
One Response
We always knew he was not involved