Ohtani, the interpreter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was fired following allegations of $4.5 million wire transfers from his bank account to a bookmaking operation.
Shohei Ohtani, a two-way baseball player from the United States, was fired after questions surrounding at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation led to a series of events. Ippei Mizuhara, the longtime friend and interpreter for Ohtani, incurred gambling debts to a Southern California bookmaking operation that is under federal investigation. The developments this week came as federal investigators are examining the operation run by Southern California bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. The wire-transfer payments were sent from Ohtani’s account to an associate of Bowyer’s, according to multiple sources and bank data reviewed by ESPN. Multiple sources, including Mizuhara, told ESPN that Ohtani does not gamble and that the funds covered Mizuhara’s losses.
ESPN had reviewed bank information showing Ohtani’s name on two $500,000 payments sent in September and October. While sports betting is legal in nearly 40 states, it remains illegal in California. Government-regulated sportsbooks require bettors to pay up front for their wagers, while illegal bookmakers accept bets on credit. Sources close to the gambling operation told ESPN that Bowyer dealt directly with Mizuhara, who placed bets on international soccer matches and other sports—but not baseball—starting in 2021. A source said Bowyer was aware of the name on the wire transfers but chose not to ask any questions as long as payments came in; however, the source said Bowyer allowed people to believe Ohtani was a client in order to boost business.
During the Tuesday interview arranged by Ohtani’s spokesman, Mizuhara, 39, told ESPN that he asked Ohtani, 29, last year to pay off his gambling debt, which multiple sources said had ballooned to at least $4.5 million. Mizuhara said that he previously placed bets via DraftKings and assumed bets placed through Bowyer were legal. “Obviously, he [Ohtani] wasn’t happy about it and said he would help me out to make sure I never do this again,” Mizuhara said. “He decided to pay it off for me.”
Mizuhara and Ohtani are friends in addition to their professional relationship. Mizuhara has interpreted for Ohtani since the star moved to the United States in 2018, accompanying the two-way player in dugouts, locker rooms, player lounges, on trips, in media settings, and elsewhere, making Mizuhara highly recognizable to baseball fans. He has been the interpreter for Ohtani with team managers and coaches, and he goes over scouting reports with Ohtani during games. The two are rarely separated.
Federal authorities learned of Ohtani’s wire payments in January as part of their investigation into Bowyer’s bookmaking operation, a source told ESPN. ESPN reviewed wire-transfer data for two of the transactions, each totaling $500,000; “Shohei Otani” is visible alongside various bank account and wire-transfer information and the word “loan.” “Otani” is the Japanese two-way player’s legal name.
Officials from the U.S. attorney’s office in the Central District of California declined comment. An attorney for Bowyer’s bookmaking associate also declined comment. Two sources said neither Ohtani nor Mizuhara have been contacted by federal authorities.
Bowyer, 48, could be facing potential felony charges. His home was raided by federal authorities in October, according to multiple sources and documents reviewed by ESPN. Agents also seized cash, casino chips, banking documents, a money-counting machine, multiple computers, portable storage devices, and cellphones. Mizuhara told ESPN that he met Bowyer at a San Diego poker game in 2021 and started betting with him on credit later that year. Mizuhara estimated his losses had mounted to more than $1 million by the end of 2022 and ballooned from there.
Ohtani, the highest-paid player in North American sports history, is facing allegations of gambling activities and debts. Mizuhara, a former baseball player, claims that Ohtani did not trust him with the money and that he promised to pay him back. When an ESPN reporter asked Ohtani’s camp about the allegation, Ohtani’s attorneys issued a statement saying Ohtani was the victim of “massive theft.” However, Mizuhara walked back much of what he had said late Tuesday, stating that he had no knowledge of his gambling activities, debts, or efforts to repay them.
The Dodgers are in South Korea for their season-opening series, which began with a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. Mizuhara addressed the clubhouse after the game, telling them a story was coming out and that it was all his fault, saying he has a gambling addiction. Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers in December, making him the highest-paid player in North American sports history. The majority of that money, $680 million, is deferred to be paid between 2034 and 2043.
The investigation into Bowyer’s operation is being handled by the same U.S. attorney’s office handling a sprawling federal money laundering and illegal gambling case in Las Vegas that drew in former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix. Nix agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to operate an illegal sports gambling business and filing a false tax return. Four other men connected to his bookmaking business also pleaded guilty.