CNN
—
Baseball superstar in the spotlight due to theft and gambling scandal Shohei Otani On Monday, he categorically denied betting on any sports or making payments to bookmakers, placing the blame for any wrongdoing squarely on his former interpreter, and claiming the two-time MVP stole money from his account. claimed to have been.
Ohtani, who signed the richest contract in baseball history with the World Series favorite Los Angeles Dodgers during the offseason, had no money transferred to a bookmaker from one of his bank accounts until he met with the bookmaker five days ago. He told reporters that he did not know the money had been transferred. -After a one-on-one discussion with longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara after a team meeting in the clubhouse, the slugger knew something was wrong.
Ohtani, the only two-way player in the major leagues, said he was “very saddened and shocked that someone I trusted would do something like this,” and the statement was shared by Dodgers employee Will Ireton. Translated into English by.
The remarks by Ohtani, who typically avoids media interviews, were his first public comments since the scandal broke last week. He acknowledged that the federal government and the league are currently investigating, and said there is only so much he can say.
“I have never bet on baseball or any other sport, nor have I ever asked anyone to place a bet on my behalf, nor have I ever bet on a sport through a bookmaker. ”Ohtani told reporters Monday before an exhibition game against a city rival at Dodger Stadium. , Los Angeles Angels.
The scandal threatens to overshadow the start of MLB’s season opener on Thursday, shaking the public’s understanding of one of baseball’s biggest stars and bringing new scrutiny to the close ties between professional sports and gambling.
The Internal Revenue Service and Major League Baseball are investigating the matter, and the league is trying to determine whether it violated its strict rules against gambling. Players and employees who gamble on baseball will be suspended for one year, while those involved in any form of baseball gambling may be suspended indefinitely. The MLB commissioner can also penalize those who gamble with bookmakers outside of legal sports betting organizations.
MLB is considering Rule 21 It is so important that it should be posted in every clubhouse.
ESPN’s Tisha Thompson quotes multiple statements. Anonymous sources told CNN’s “The Read” last week that at least $4.5 million was withdrawn by wire transfer from Ohtani’s bank account, but it’s unclear who initiated the transfer.
Ohtani’s lawyers have not provided details about how they believe the funds were stolen, raising questions about the scandal that surfaced when Ohtani made his long-awaited debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers while in South Korea last week. It’s increasing.
Otani signed an unprecedented contract 10-year, $700 million contract He won the American League MVP award twice in the past three seasons as a pitcher and designated hitter for the Angels, and was traded to the Dodgers this offseason.
The scandal broke while the Dodgers were in South Korea last week. ESPN And that Los Angeles Times According to reports, Otani’s lawyer accused Mizuhara of “grand theft” of millions of dollars and of placing bets with a bookmaker who is under federal investigation.Suwon I was fired When the team was in Seoul.
Ohtani said Monday that he learned of the issue during a clubhouse meeting on March 20, when the Dodgers played their first game in South Korea against the San Diego Padres. Ohtani said that although team meetings were held in English and there was no “translator on the side,” he felt something was wrong.
Afterwards, he reportedly met with Mizuhara one-on-one at the club’s hotel. Otani said that until then, he had no idea that Mizuhara had a gambling addiction and was in debt.
“When we talked, we found out that he was in a lot of debt,” Ohtani said. “Ippei (Mizuhara) admitted that he had been sending money from my account to a bookmaker.”
The superstar said an interpreter told the media and Ohtani’s agent that the player had paid off a gambling debt on behalf of a friend. Otani said he was unaware of the media inquiries.
CNN has reached out to Mizuhara for comment. Mizuhara told ESPN last Tuesday, “I’ve never bet on baseball…that’s 100 percent.” I knew that rule. …We’re going to have a meeting in spring training about that. ”
Ohtani said his lawyer would handle the scandal and legal issues, cooperate with the investigation and focus on baseball with his new team. On Monday, he entered the game against the Angels as a designated hitter and was the No. 2 batter.
Major League Baseball and the Internal Revenue Service are separately investigating Mizuhara.
“Major League Baseball has been gathering information since learning of the allegations against Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara in the media,” officials said in a news release. last week. “Early today, our Bureau of Investigation began a formal investigation into this matter.”
The IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office is investigating both Mizuhara and Matthew Bowyer, IRS spokesman Scott Billiard told CNN on Friday.
Bowyer, a former bookie, lives in California and racked up $425,000 in gambling debts more than a decade ago, according to bankruptcy court documents.
According to MLB.com, Ohtani and Mizuhara first worked together from 2013 to 2017, when Mizuhara served as an interpreter for Ohtani’s Japan Professional Baseball League team, the Nippon-Ham Fighters. When Ohtani joined the Angels in 2018, he asked Mizuhara to serve as a translator during his rookie season in MLB, and Mizuhara eventually followed his star to the Dodgers.
03:03 – Source: CNN
MLB begins investigation into Otani allegations
A lawyer for Mr. Bowyer, a former bookmaker under federal investigation for gambling-related matters, said Mr. Bowyer had never met Mr. Ohtani or had any “direct contact,” but said he had done business with Mr. Mizuhara.
“Matthew Bowyer has never spoken to, emailed, texted or otherwise had any contact with Shohei Ohtani,” attorney Diane Bass told CNN in an on-camera interview Saturday. .
The lawyer also said Ohtani’s interpreter never bet on baseball.
When discussing Ohtani’s name on “one of the wire transfers to cover the stakes to Mr. Bowyer’s organization,” Bass said Saturday, “As far as Mr. Bowyer understands, the stakes were from Ippei. Either it was something, or Mr. Ohtani was covering it for Ippei.” ”
Bass emphasized that Bowyer is under federal investigation but has not been charged with a crime. He said Bowyer ceased his bookbinding business in October 2023 after “federal authorities showed up at his home.”
Bass said Bowyer met Mizuhara after a Padres game in San Diego in 2022. She told CNN she doesn’t know how often or how much Mizuhara bet, but Bowyer said Mizuhara regularly bet on “mostly soccer, sometimes soccer and basketball, but once on baseball.” “I didn’t have any,” he said.
Bass said Mizuhara’s gambling “got out of control at some point” but that he “was making regular payments over a considerable period of time.”
When asked whether the payment came from Mizuhara’s account or Otani’s account, Basu said, “Honestly, I don’t know how many times the money was transferred from which account, (or) if it came from multiple accounts.” I answered. I don’t have access to that information,” she told CNN.
change your explanation or statement
The uproar began with reporters asking questions about the allegations. wire transfer From Otani’s bank account. Here’s how the scandal unfolded.
• Mizuhara told ESPN in a Tuesday interview arranged by Ohtani’s agent that he asked Ohtani to pay off gambling debts last year, according to a report by ESPN. Mizuhara said Otani was not involved in his betting.
• However, after the interview, Otani’s publicist issued a statement denying Mizuhara’s testimony and saying that Otani had been the victim of theft.
• The same day, Mizuhara was seen smiling and talking to Ohtani in the Los Angeles dugout before translating for the star player at the team’s game. 5-2 victory On Wednesday, they faced off against the San Diego Padres in the MLB season opener in Seoul, South Korea.
• Late Wednesday, Mizuhara was fired as Otani’s interpreter.
• After learning of the suspicions surrounding Ohtani and Mizuhara, MLB announced on Friday that it would proceed with an investigation. The IRS also confirmed that it is investigating the translator.
CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow, Eric Levenson and Norma Galeana contributed to this report.
