用事は気にしなさい、うるさい、興奮した、クソ野郎
Baseball Legal WTF?!: Shohei Ohtani Interpreter Reportedly Accused of Stealing “Massive” Sums from him UPDATE: NEVERMIND!
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用事は気にしなさい、うるさい、興奮した、クソ野郎
The mysterious life — and questionable claims — of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter
Now that Ippei Mizuhara is under a microscope following allegations he stole millions of dollars from Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to cover gambling debts, key aspects of his biography have proved difficult to confirm or turned out to be false.
www.latimes.com
There is very obvious racial component n9t being addressed here.
If this was a Spanish speaking player?
Woo boy they would have MADE him speak English and answer questions.
Sidebar... so there are no Japanese speaking American journalists who could interview him?
Yeah okay
If this was a Spanish speaking player?
Woo boy they would have MADE him speak English and answer questions.
Sidebar... so there are no Japanese speaking American journalists who could interview him?
Yeah okay
Red-hot Ohtani 'pretty awesome to watch'
Fifth straight multi-hit game, paired with Outman's HR and Paxton's gem, keys win vs. Twins
April 8th, 2024Patrick Donnelly
MINNEAPOLIS -- The ideal path to view Monday’s total solar eclipse was well south of the Twin Cities. Instead, Twins fans were treated to a lunar eclipse of sorts during the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 4-2 victory at Target Field.
James Outman and Shohei Ohtani launched sky-high moonshots that soared out of the park for solo home runs in the seventh. Outman’s leadoff blast put the Dodgers on top 3-2, while Ohtani’s two-out blow -- his third of the year, all coming in the last five games – provided an insurance run that wasn’t needed, thanks to Dodgers pitchers retiring the final 18 Twins batters they faced.
Ohtani had two doubles to go with his home run, giving him eight extra-base hits in his last five games. He’s also posted five straight multi-hit games, the longest such streak in his career.
Although he hasn’t been wearing Dodger blue for very long, Ohtani has quickly shown he’s capable of living up to the high expectations that accompanied his arrival.
“You expect the ball to come off really hot when he swings the bat and he barrels it,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s something I have never seen. When he’s controlling the strike zone and he’s getting pitches in his nitro zone, there’s just really not a better hitter.”
Winning pitcher James Paxton, who gave up two runs and struck out four over six innings, knows all too well what kind of damage Ohtani can do. Last year, Ohtani took him deep as the Angels dealt Paxton his first loss of the year with Boston.
Apr 8, 2024
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0:29
James Paxton strikes out 4
“I mean, it’s pretty awesome to watch. If he puts the barrel on the ball, it’s coming off at 105-plus,” Paxton said. “It’s pretty amazing, just how hard he swings and just how hard he hits the ball. I’m glad to have him on my side.”
Ohtani’s home run was an opposite-field shot that left the bat at 106.9 mph with a 38 degree launch angle. Twins reliever Jay Jackson, who surrendered both home runs in the seventh, could only watch as the ball carried and carried, finally dropping just beyond the flower boxes above the left-field wall.
Apr 8, 2024
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0:21
Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run (3)
“Shohei got a good pitch, he made a good swing, and he’s a great player. It happens,” Jackson said. “He’s strong as anything. That ball got out. I was surprised, but he was a big boy, so he’s gonna hit a lot more of those.”
While Ohtani’s homer was the 174th of his Major League career -- leaving him one shy of tying Hideki Matsui for the most MLB home runs by a player born in Japan -- Outman’s was the 25th of his career, and his first of the season. He entered the game in a 4-for-32 skid to begin 2024, and he acknowledged a bit of relief when the ball cleared the 23-foot wall in right.
“It felt good to see a ball land,” said Outman. “It’s still pretty early in the season so it was a little early to freak out, but yeah, it’s a start in the right direction for sure.”
Apr 8, 2024
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0:20
James Outman hits go-ahead homer in 7th (1)
Roberts commended his young center fielder for keeping a level head when battling through hard times -- and not just in the past two weeks.
“If there was any time to panic, it was last year, and he didn’t panic last year,” Roberts said. “So I think for us, and for him most important, to know that he can get to the other side of it is very helpful.”
It can’t hurt to have an all-world talent like Ohtani -- a fellow left-handed hitter, no less -- join the lineup. But Outman noted trying to pick up tips when studying Ohtani’s at-bats would be as useful as trying to learn how to fly by watching "Superman."
“He does things to the baseball that not really anyone else can do, so it’s hard to try and emulate, it’s hard to try to be like that,” Outman said. “Everyone in this clubhouse, they got to the big leagues by being themselves, so as much as everyone would like to be that, you’ve still got to be yourself.”
guess the interpreter understood the assignment
This ain’t over.
This involved illegal sports betting…which means organized crime was involved.
Those gangsters want that money train to continue to flow.
They know this mofo got a Fat Bank account.
Shohei Ohtani is from Japan.
Tozawa wants his cut….and he knows where Ohtani’s family lives.
HaHa!!!
This involved illegal sports betting…which means organized crime was involved.
Those gangsters want that money train to continue to flow.
They know this mofo got a Fat Bank account.
Shohei Ohtani is from Japan.
Tozawa wants his cut….and he knows where Ohtani’s family lives.
HaHa!!!
This ain’t over.
This involved illegal sports betting…which means organized crime was involved.
Those gangsters want that money train to continue to flow.
They know this mofo got a Fat Bank account.
Shohei Ohtani is from Japan.
Tozawa wants his cut….and he knows where Ohtani’s family lives.
HaHa!!!
bro you joking..
but that is EXACTLY what I was thinking
Ohtani snitched big time.
Interpreter, but he knows English? As one of my old Dominicsn sneaky links used to say when I gave her a bullshit excuse, "Sumfin not rhite."
Former Shohei Ohtani interpreter faces federal bank fraud charges in sports betting case
The former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been charged with federal bank fraud for crimes involving gambling debts and theft of millions of dollars from the sensation.
Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter charged with stealing US$16M from baseball star in sports betting case
Stephanie Dazio
The Associated Press
Staff
Contact
Updated April 11, 2024 2:46 p.m. EDT
Published April 11, 2024 1:49 p.m. EDT
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LOS ANGELES -
The former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is being charged with federal bank fraud for crimes involving gambling debts and theft of more than US$16 million from the Japanese sensation, federal authorities said Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges Thursday.
Ippei Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s interpreter after Ohtani came to the U.S. in 2018 to play baseball. Estrada says Mizhuara “acted as Mr. Ohtani’s de facto manager.”
Estrada says Mizuhara helped Ohtani set up a bank account for Ohtani's baseball salary. Estrada says Mizuhara stole more than US$16 million from Ohtani’s bank accounts to pay for his own sports betting and lied to the bank to access the account.Estrada says Mizuhara was able to “use and abuse” his position of trust with Ohtani "in order to plunder Mr. Ohtani's bank account. Estrada also confirmed that when Mizuhara would win on sports bets, he did not deposit the money into Ohtani’s account.
“Mr. Mizuhara did all this to feed his insatiable appetite for illegal sports betting,” Estrada said, adding the complaint alleges he committed fraud “on a massive scale.”
Estrada says there is no evidence that Ohtani was aware of his interpreter’s actions, adding that Ohtani has cooperated fully and completely with investigators.
“I want to emphasize this point: Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,” he said.
Mizuhara is expected to appear in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles for his initial appearance in the near future, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
“We have no comment at this time,” Michael G. Freedman, Mizuhara’s attorney, said in an email to The Associated Press after the charge was announced.
The maximum penalty for the bank fraud charge Mizuhara faces is 30 years in prison.
Mizuhara was abruptly fired by the team after the scandal surfaced last month, catalyzed by an IRS Criminal Investigation of an alleged illegal bookmaker. Major League Baseball opened a separate investigation.
Ohtani subsequently laid out a version of events that placed responsibility entirely on Mizuhara, who had given conflicting accounts of whether Ohtani had paid off Mizuhara's gambling debts.
Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels in December to sign a record US$700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani and Mizuhara had been daily companions since Ohtani joined the Angels in 2018. Ohtani's baseball salaries prior to the Dodgers deal totaled around US$40 million, although it’s also expected he earns tens of millions at least in endorsements each year.
Mizuhara told ESPN on March 19 that Ohtani paid his gambling debts at the interpreter’s request, saying the bets were on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL and college football. But ESPN said Mizuhara changed his story the next day, saying Ohtani had no knowledge of the gambling debts and had not transferred any money to bookmakers.
On March 25, Ohtani told a Dodger Stadium press conference that he never bet on sports or knowingly paid any gambling debts accumulated by his interpreter.
“I am very saddened and shocked someone whom I trusted has done this,” the Japanese star said through a new interpreter.
“Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has been telling lies,” Ohtani said. “I never bet on sports or have willfully sent money to the bookmaker.”
Ohtani said he first became aware of Mizuhara’s gambling problem during a team meeting after a season-opening victory over the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
The investigation moved at a quick speed, with the charges coming about three weeks after news of the scandal broke.
“We understood there was a significant amount of public interest in this case,” Estrada said. “While we were able to work on this case rapidly, it was a very thorough investigation.”
According to the criminal complaint, the Mizuhara case stemmed from a broader probe of illegal sports bookmaking organizations operating in Southern California and the laundering of proceeds through casinos in Las Vegas.
“To date, these investigations have led to criminal charges and/or convictions of 12 criminal defendants and one money service business, as well as non-prosecution agreements with two Las Vegas casinos,” the complaint said. “The investigations remain ongoing and have multiple targets, not all of whom are related to each other.”
There has been no information about the status of baseball's separate investigation. MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from wagering — even legally — on baseball. They also ban betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
@dik cashmere
Okay so this is the story ending they going with?
The interpreter changed ALL the alert settings on Ohtani phone and computer so he didn't know about any of the transactions?
But his agent his manager and his financial expert aint notice?
Yeah OKAY.
Okay so this is the story ending they going with?
The interpreter changed ALL the alert settings on Ohtani phone and computer so he didn't know about any of the transactions?
But his agent his manager and his financial expert aint notice?
Yeah OKAY.
Insult to our intelligence
A timeline of Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter's spiraling gambling debts
play
Paula Lavigne, ESPN Investigative ReporterApr 11, 2024, 05:25 PM ET
In their complaint filed Thursday, federal investigators said they had conducted forensic reviews of the phone of Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, as well as devices belonging to "Bookmaker 1," assumed to be Southern California bookie Mathew Bowyer, and "Bookmaker 2," an associate of Bowyer's.
Prosecutors accused Mizuhara of bank fraud and said he stole more than $16 million over several years from Ohtani. Before he was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 20, Mizuhara had interpreted for Ohtani since the superstar moved to the United States in 2018.
Texts among the parties, as laid out in the 37-page complaint, depict Mizuhara's apparent descent into an uncontrolled sports betting addiction, and the bookie who kept extending his credit as long as Mizuhara covered his losses.
Getting started
Mizuhara has said he met Bowyer at a poker game in San Diego in 2021. According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 8, 2021, "Bookmaker 2" provides Mizuhara an account number, password and URL for an illegal betting website. About two weeks later, Mizuhara messages Bookmaker 2: "Ive just been messing around with soccer, theres games on 24/7 lol. I took UCLA but they lost outright!!!"The same day, Mizuhara messages Bookmaker 2: "How does the withdrawing and paying work?" Bookmaker 2 responds later that day, "He pays and collects as the week ends Sunday night[.] Whatever you are up or down Sunday night you pay or receive[.] Last week you were down and he rolled it as hes ok with it[.] I say have a settle figure[.] Meaning pick a number you want to settle at either way[.]"
On Oct. 27, 2021, Bookmaker 2 messages Mizuhara: "[Bowyer] asked me to reach out to you . . . he sees you playing and wants to settle this by tomorrow[.] I can meet you or one his runners can." Mizuhara responds, "I'm back in Anaheim now, is there any way to pay [Bowyer] via credit or debit card . . . I can wire the amount to his bank account. Do you know what bank he uses?"Through the fall, text traffic indicates Mizuhara struggling to transfer funds to cover his debt because of bank limits or other issues. On or about Nov. 9, he tells Bookmaker 2: "tried almost every option possible and none of it is working. ... this is super stressing."
The next day, he tells Bookmaker 2 that he is "able to send 40k," adding that it looks as if the method works "but I can only send 40k at a time."
Losses mount
The federal complaint indicates Mizuhara's losses mounted almost immediately. He repeatedly asks the bookies to "bump" his account, or increase his line of credit.On Jan. 2, 2022, Mizuhara asks Bookmaker 2 if [Bowyer] could "reload my account? I lost it all." Bookmaker 2 responds, "[Bowyer] bumped you 50k." Thirteen days later, Mizuhara texts Bookmaker 2 again: "F--- I lost it all lol . . . can you ask [Bowyer] if he can bump me 50k? That will be my last one for a while if I lose it."
By Feb. 4, 2022, Mizuhara texts: "I made another transfer for 300k today since I lost the other 100k already." Later that day, he confirms, "Wire went through!"
Over the next two years, according to the complaint, Mizuhara averaged 25 bets per day, ranging from $10 to $160,000 per bet, between December 2021 and this January -- some 19,000 bets in all. His texts during this time show increasing desperation to catch up.
Some highlights of that time:
March 10, 2022: Mizuhara messages Bowyer asking him to reduce his credit from $300,000 to $100,000. "I'll get too reckless with 300," he says.
May 2022: Text messages from Mizuhara indicate he's on a "bad run." Despite Mizuhara owing Bowyer over $1 million, Bowyer continually increased Mizuhara's betting limits, investigators said.
Nov. 14, 2022: Mizuhara texts Bowyer: "I'm terrible at this sport betting thing huh? Lol . . . Any chance u can bump me again?? As you know, you don't have to worry about me not paying!!"
Dec. 9, 2022: Mizuhara texts Bowyer: "Can u bump me last 200? I swear on my mom this will be the last ask before I pay it off once I get back to the states. Sorry for keep on asking. . . ." Bowyer responds: "Np done bud. Merry Christmas."
May 20, 2023: Bowyer texts Mizuhara: "I know you've been on a bad run. I don't mind bumping u, I just want to verify that you can send at least 2M on June 1."
June 22, 2023: Mizuhara texts Bowyer: "I got my ass kicked again lol . . . . Any chance I can get one last bump? This will be my last one for a while if I lose it. . . ." Bowyer responds: "Ok bud. I just want to be able to communicate with my partner so he knows expectations. If I can assure him that minimum 500 will be sent every week I can do the bump to whatever you want? It's just imperative that the 500 is sent every week as you can imagine the figures are very high and just don't want to not be able to deliver what I tell him[.] FYI I have already paid out of my pocket to him half of the balance that is on the account so whatever is lost every week I have to give him half of the balance that's why I'm asking these direct important questions."
June 24, 2023: Mizuhara texts Bowyer: "I have a problem lol. . . . Can I get one 13 last last last bump? This one is for real. ... Last one for real[.]" Bowyer responds, "Done. I have the same problem. To be honest with you Ippie, as long as you can guarantee the 500 every Monday I'll give you as much as you want because I know you're good for it[.] again I just have to clean it up with my partner and that's one reason why I was asking before."
In the complaint, an investigator testified that wagers for Mizuhara's account, "35966" as reflected on a bookie's spreadsheet, reflect total winning bets of about $142 million, total losing bets of about $183 million, leaving a total negative balance of about $40.7 million.
Mizuhara, who started interpreting for Ohtani in 2018, was accused by federal authorities of stealing more than $16 million from the superstar to pay back his gambling debts. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Paybacks and veiled threats
According to the complaint, Mizuhara was attempting to pay back his debt from Ohtani's account in a series of weekly $500,000 transactions, but after making some payments he stops and the tenor of texts with Bowyer shifts.On June 20, 2023, he texts Bowyer: "It looks like I can only send 500 per week. ... I put in a wire for 500 earlier today so it should be in your account by tomorrow. . . . does 500/week work for you?"
Federal authorities raid Bowyer's house in October and seize cash, computers and phones, according to a search warrant obtained by ESPN. On or about Nov. 17, 2023, Bowyer texts Mizuhara: "Hey Ippie, it's 2 o'clock on Friday. I don't know why you're not returning my calls. I'm here in Newport Beach and I see [Ohtani] walking his dog. I'm just gonna go up and talk to him and ask how I can get in touch with you since you're not responding? Please call me back immediately."
Two days later, Mizuhara texts Bowyer: "I'm gonna be honest, I ended up losing a lot of money on crypto the last couple years and I took a huge hit obviously with the sports too. . . . Just wanted to ask, is there any way we can settle on an amount? I've lost way too much on the site already . . . of course I know it's my fault."
On Dec. 15, Bowyer texts Mizuhara, stating "I know ur busy but u Need to show some respect. I put my neck out here. Call me by Tonight. I don't care what time or how late it is." Mizuhara responds the same day: "I'm so sorry bro . . . I really don't mean to disrespect you at all I promise . . . it's just been super super busy . . . and I've got other issues on the side going on too. everything has just been really really tough recently."
This past Jan. 6, the complaint states, Bowyer texts Mizuhara: "you're putting me in a position where this is going to get out of control. If I don't hear from you by the end of the day today it's gonna [sic] be out of my hands." Mizuhara responds: "My bad man. . . . I just got back from Japan two days ago and I'm leaving tomorrow again . . . I'll be back in mid January. To be honest with you, I'm really struggling right now and I need some time before I start to make payments."
From January to March, Mizuhara spends about $325,000 of Ohtani's money on approximately 1,000 baseball cards, and has them mailed to the Dodgers clubhouse under the alias "Jay Min," the filing says. Mizuhara buys the memorabilia, which included cards for Yogi Berra, Juan Soto and Ohtani, with the intent to resell it, according to the affidavit.
On March 20, news breaks that at least $4.5 million was transmitted from Ohtani's account to Bowyer's operation. Mizuhara first tells ESPN that Ohtani paid his debts before changing his story hours later to say Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling. Mizuhara asks Bowyer if he has seen the media reports. Bowyer responds, "Yes, but that's all bulls---. Obviously you didn't steal from him. I understand it's a cover job I totally get it," Mizuhara responds, "Technically I did steal from him. it's all over for me."
ESPN's Tisha Thompson contributed to this report.
Prosecutors Say Ippei Mizuhara Stole $16 Million From Shohei Ohtani. Here’s What We Know.
On Thursday, authorities released a document detailing their investigation into Ohtani’s former translator. The findings shed new light on the gambling scandal that has engulfed MLB.
www.theringer.com
ESPN Daily - Ohtani, Arm Injuries, and Availability with Jeff Passan | ESPN
So ESPN MLB expert Jeff Passan updates us on: the latest happenings in the Shohei Ohtani sports betting case, discusses how now isn’t the time for the league and the player’s association to go to battle over who is responsible for the slew of elbow injuries costing pitchers their season, and...
@dik cashmere
ESPN Daily - Ohtani, Arm Injuries, and Availability with Jeff Passan | ESPN
So ESPN MLB expert Jeff Passan updates us on: the latest happenings in the Shohei Ohtani sports betting case, discusses how now isn’t the time for the league and the player’s association to go to battle over who is responsible for the slew of elbow injuries costing pitchers their season, and...www.espn.com
Passan? STOP IT
Nobody WANTS this to be true
The fact is - Nobody wants to be made to look stupid.
So OKAY the lawyers managers and financial advisor and accountant WTF are they there for???
I don't CARE about the amount... 14 million 4 million 400K 4000
Ohtani aint notice? Okay
NO ONE ELSE whose JOB it is to NOTICE noticed?
I would ask Jeff... If this was a BLACK or LATINO player would THE MEDIA be THIS forgiving?
Jeff respectfully? GTFOH
Imagine never noticing 14 million missing?
I don't want her that man EVER say he needs a penny in fact that goes for his grandparents.
I don't want her that man EVER say he needs a penny in fact that goes for his grandparents.
I guess they hired the wrong interpreter because fuck English, that nigga couldn't speak money!
This is absolutely fucking ridiculous! This cockbuffer averaged placing a bet every hour, on the hour, 7 days a week for 2 years straight. This is including game time of approximately 320 games.
Los Angeles Dodgers on Instagram: "Shohei’s 118.7 mph homer tonight was the hardest hit ball by a Dodger in the Statcast Era (since 2015). "
246K likes, 675 comments - dodgers on April 23, 2024: "Shohei’s 118.7 mph homer tonight was the hardest hit ball by a Dodger in the Statcast Era (since 2015). ".
www.instagram.com
Shohei Ohtani smashes MLB's hardest-hit ball of season with 118.7 mph home run in Dodgers' win vs. Nationals
Ohtani cranked one 450 feet off Nats reliever Matt Barnes
www.cbssports.com
Shohei Ohtani's Interpreter Pleading Guilty To Federal Charges, Facing Up To 33 Yrs
Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter and best friend, Ippei Mizuhara, has agreed to plead guilty to two federal charges and is now facing up to 30 years in prison for taking nearly $17 million of the Dodger superstar's money.
www.tmz.com
Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter agrees to plead guilty in $17M sports gambling scandal
The former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to two federal charges for stealing nearly $17 million from the two-time MVP’s bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts, prosecutors say. Ippei Mizuhara, 39, could face more than 30 years in federal prison...
www.nbclosangeles.com