In the wake of allegations of illegal gambling and theft that led to the dismissal of his interpreter, Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who is also embroiled in suspicions of involvement in illegal gambling, is finally breaking his silence.
According to the Associated Press on the 25th, Ohtani will announce his stance on the matter to journalists on the 26th.
Ippei Mizuhara, a friend and interpreter of Ohtani for over seven years since his days in the Japanese Professional Baseball Nippon Ham Fighters, was dismissed from the Dodgers on October 21st, during the MLB Seoul Series. He was suspected of squandering money on illegal gambling and using Ohtani’s money to pay off his gambling debts.
While admitting to illegal gambling, Mizuhara claimed in the media that Ohtani initially directly transferred $4.5 million to the bookies to pay off his gambling debt.
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However, when Ohtani’s side strongly objected, stating that Ohtani was a victim of Mizuhara’s theft, Mizuhara changed his story, heightening the suspicion surrounding the case.
Contrary to Mizuhara’s claim that he did not gamble on baseball, if Ohtani knew about betting on baseball, regardless of whether the gambling was legal or illegal, it would be a severe issue that could prevent Ohtani from participating in games for a year.
The US media has been pressuring Ohtani to make a statement to clarify the truth, and Ohtani has finally decided to step up to the microphone on the 26th.
Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, expressed his support, saying, “I’m pleased that Ohtani has decided to share what he knows and his thoughts on the current situation. Ohtani’s press conference will give us clearer information.”
The US Internal Revenue Service is investigating the Mizuhara case, while the MLB office is examining Ohtani’s involvement separately.
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