SEOUL, South Korea (news agencies) — Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter and close friend was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers following allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star, and the IRS said Thursday he is under investigation.
Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, 39, was let go from the team Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well over $1 million. The team was in Seoul this week as Ohtani made his Dodgers debut, and Mizuhara was in Los Angeles’ dugout during its season-opening win over San Diego.
“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,” law firm Berk Brettler LLP said in a statement Wednesday. The firm declined further comment the next day.
Sports gambling is illegal in California, even as 38 states and the District of Columbia allow some form of it. The IRS on Thursday confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details.
media was unable reach Mizuhara for comment. It was not clear if he had hired an attorney.
Diane Bass, Bowyer’s attorney, told the news agencies that Mizuhara was placing bets with Bowyer on international soccer, but not baseball.
“Mr. Bowyer never had any contact with Shohei Ohtani, in-person, on the phone, in any way,” she said Thursday. “The only person he had contact with was Ippei.”
Bass confirmed the criminal investigation into Bowyer and said his home was searched in October. No charges have been filed.
“I have been in touch with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, trying to resolve the case,” she said.
Mizuhara is a familiar face to baseball fans as Ohtani’s constant companion, interpreting for him with the media and at other appearances since Ohtani came to the U.S. in 2017. He even served as Ohtani’s catcher during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game. When Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels to sign a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December, the club also hired Mizuhara.
The Dodgers said in a statement they were “aware of media reports and are gathering information.
“The team can confirm that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been terminated,” the statement said. “The team has no further comment at this time.”
Ohtani was in the lineup for the second game of the series Thursday, hitting a single in the first inning as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. The Dodgers lost 15-11.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Mizuhara had a meeting with the team on Wednesday but declined to elaborate. He said he did not know Mizuhara’s whereabouts and said a different interpreter was being used.
“Anything with that meeting, I can’t comment,” Roberts said, adding that “Shohei’s ready. I know that he’s preparing.”
Will Ireton, the Dodgers’ manager of performance operations, went to the mound in the first inning to translate for pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ireton was Kenta Maeda’s translator with the team from 2016-18.
Security at the Gocheok Sky Dome was stepped up Thursday, with police and dogs checking the hallways hours before the game started.
The Ohtani-interpreter news came a day after a reported bomb threat against Ohtani. Police said they found no explosives.
On Tuesday, Mizuhara told ESPN his bets were on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL and college football. MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from wagering — even legally on baseball — and also ban betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
“I never bet on baseball,” Mizuhara told ESPN. “That’s 100%. I knew that rule … We have a meeting about that in spring training.”
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