Shohei Ohtani’s Former Interpreter Accused of “Massive Theft” Linked to Gambling
In a shocking turn of events, the longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has been terminated after being accused of embezzling substantial amounts of money, with allegations suggesting a connection to gambling. According to reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN, Ohtani’s legal team, Berk Brettler LLP, has filed a complaint against Ippei Mizuhara.
Allegations of Millions in Stolen Funds and Betting with a Federal Investigation Target
The accusations against Mizuhara claim he stole millions of dollars from Ohtani and placed bets with a bookmaker under federal investigation, as per the reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN.
Discovering the Theft
When responding to recent media inquiries, Ohtani’s legal team made a startling discovery. In a statement to News Finder (which we will update as more information becomes available), Berk Brettler LLP shared, “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”
Interpreting for Ohtani in the MLB Season-opening Game
Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s interpreter during the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres in the MLB season-opening game in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday.
Previous Work History and Background
Mizuhara and Ohtani worked together from 2013 to 2017 at Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League team, Nippon-Ham Fighters. During that time, Mizuhara served as an interpreter for non-Japanese speaking players. Following Ohtani’s request for him to join in Los Angeles, Mizuhara became Ohtani’s interpreter during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.
Ohtani’s Historic Contract and Career
The 29-year-old two-time American League MVP recently signed a historic 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers during the offseason.
Updates to Come
This story is still in development, and we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Update: News Finder’s David Close contributed to this report. We have reached out to Ohtani’s agent, Major League Baseball, the Dodgers, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for comment but have not yet received a response. We will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.
