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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani gave reporters a forceful and detailed statement Monday denying he ever participated in sports betting amid a growing scandal involving an interpreter stealing money from Ohtani and betting on games. It was announced on .
Ohtani was “stealing money” from former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara's account to pay off debts from his gambling “addiction,” but he had no knowledge of the scheme, which involved Federation Baseball and Major League Baseball. He said there was no. investigation.
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 investigation was ongoing and said there was only so much he could say.
“I have never bet on baseball or any other sport, I have never asked anyone to bet on my behalf, and I have never bet on sports through a bookmaker,” Ohtani said. Ta.
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.
MLB prohibits players, coaches, umpires, and employees from betting on baseball or betting on sports with anyone who operates an illegal gambling operation. Betting on sports other than baseball is allowed where legal.
A copy of Rule 21 must be posted in all clubhouses.
The scandal began last week after Ohtani's lawyer accused him of “grand theft” of millions of dollars and betting with a bookmaker under federal investigation, according to ESPN and the Los Angeles Times, which first reported on the incident. The incident came to light when a Japanese interpreter was fired. story.
Ohtani signed an unprecedented 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason after winning American League MVP twice over the past three seasons as a pitcher and designated hitter with the Los Angeles Angels.
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 Anonymous sources told CNN's “The Read” last week that at least $4.5 million was withdrawn by wire transfer from Ohtani's bank account, but it's unclear who initiated the transfer.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 elaborated on how they believe the funds were stolen, raising questions about the scandal that surfaced during Ohtani's long-awaited debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. When I was in Korea last week.
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. ”
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 controversy began when reporters asked questions about alleged wire transfers from Ohtani'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 smiles and chats with Ohtani in the Los Angeles dugout before interpreting for the team's star player in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres in the MLB season opener in Seoul, South Korea. I was seen.
• 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.
