REPORT: Bookie At Center Of Betting Scandal Told Others That Shohei Ohtani Was His Client
(Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Mathew Bowyer of San Juan Capistrano met Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtana’s longtime interpreter and friend, in 2022. This was an exciting moment for him since the guy was linked to a Major League Baseball superstar.
Major League Baseball announced Friday it launched a formal investigation into the unusual circumstances surrounding a sports betting scandal involving the game’s most celebrated star, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Diane Bass, Bowyer’s attorney, told the Los Angeles Times that her client “never met, spoke with, or texted, or had contact in any way with Ohtani.”
However, he was not quiet about Shohei Ohtani before things would get out of hand.
According to a report from ESPN’s Tisha Thompson, bowyer was making it known that it was Shohei Ohtani he had as a client instead of Mizuhara.
“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,” Thompson reports.
Him telling others that Shohei Ohtani was a client does not mean it was the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar placing the bets.
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Although sports betting is legal in 38 states, it is illegal in California. According to ESPN, Bowyer’s betting operation is under federal investigation.
For Major League Baseball, they can do nothing to Mizuhara since he is no longer part of MLB. He could simply refuse to talk to MLB and MLB would have no ability to compel him to participate in an investigation.
Los Angeles Dodgers Fired Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara Amid Gambling Scandal
Last Wednesday, the Dodgers fired Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who is suspected of wiring payments totaling at least $4.5 million from Ohtani’s bank account to California bookmaker Matthew Bowyer.
Mizuhara came out immediately to state he has never bet on baseball, though bet on other sports. He later denied making the wire transfer and claimed Shohei Ohtani had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s activities.
It’s unknown how the Dodgers employed Mizuhara or how they fired him, but we do know we should never see him around the team or Shohei Ohtani again.
