Shohei Ohtani has finally spoken out about the illegal gambling activities of his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
On the 26th (Korean time), Ohtani expressed his position at a press conference held at the Dodgers Stadium press box in Los Angeles, USA.
In the light of the allegations concerning illegal gambling and theft against Mizuhara, his long-time interpreter, he stated it was “sad and shocking.” He denied involvement, stating, “I have never placed bets on sports or paid money to illegal bookmakers.”
He added, “I want to express that I have certain constraints on my actions today, and I feel it’s important to explain the situation. I want to clarify that I have never participated in any form of betting or placed money on baseball or other sporting events. I have never requested a transfer. I didn’t know he was doing that until a few days ago. He was stealing money and lying to everyone.”
New interpreter Will Ireton also conducted a 10-minute interview at Ohtani’s side. He revealed that he learned about Mizuhara’s gambling addiction after a clubhouse meeting following the MLB opening game at Gocheok Dome in Seoul on the 20th.
Previously, Mizuhara was laid off on the 21st under suspicion of embezzling $4.5 million from Ohtani’s account.
Mizuhara’s statements are currently conflicting. He initially claimed that Ohtani directly transferred $4.5 million to a bookmaker to pay off his gambling debt. However, after the Dodgers fired him, he retracted his previous statement and changed his position, stating that Ohtani knew nothing about gambling.
The MLB prohibits players and team staff from engaging in illegal sports gambling. If caught, they may be restricted from playing for a year or be permanently expelled. It is considered illegal in California, where the Dodgers are based.
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