Shohei Ohtani’s translator accused of stealing millions of dollars from him

It’s not often we get to talk baseball here, but this news just crossed a threshold of unbelievable absurdity. The translator for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani allegedly “stole massive amounts” of his money in connection with illegal betting via a bookie.

So reported Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. My colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote about it on the Passion MLB website.

Ippei Mizuhara is accused by Shohei Ohtani’s lawyers.

Several million dollars are at stake. https://t.co/ezuxBXkcg7

– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 20, 2024

Shohei Ohtani is a star baseball player recognized as one of the best, if not the best player on the planet. He’s Japanese and needs a translator to help him in English. That translator is Ippei Mizuhara.

This is the same Mizuhara the Dodgers accuse of stealing a huge amount of money from Ohtani’s pockets.

Worst of all, Ippei was not only a colleague to Ohtani, but had also become one of his best friends on American soil since their debut with the Angels in Anaheim. That’s quite a stab in the back.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the amount we’re talking about here would be $4.5 million US.

The latest on the firing of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter amid questions about the transfer of $4.5 million from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation, from ESPN’s Tisha Thompson: https://t.co/M8qfg9lElk pic.twitter.com/reo8s272Pb

– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 20, 2024

Yes, yes. $4.5 MILLION.

There’s even reportedly a federal investigation underway against Ippei Mizuhara, but it’s unrelated to baseball betting.

Looking at Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract, it may seem like a small amount of money to him, but it’s still in the millions.

The news broke just as the MLB season got underway in Korea on Wednesday morning. Ohtani’s team, the Dodgers, were in action.

The question now is whether such news will turn the big home run hitter’s season upside down, and Ohtani will probably have to find himself a new translator.

Breaking news

– Montreal explains its recent transaction.

Danièle Sauvageau and Kori Cheverie felt that the acquisition of a defender was necessary.

But in a world where this kind of barter was unthinkable before the creation of the LPHF, the departure of Tereza Vanišová has left its mark. https://t.co/Xt7JzjdCWA

– Nicolas Landry (@NicLandryRDS) March 20, 2024

– Interesting.

Always hyper interesting this type of content!

It clearly shows that Olivier Renard prioritizes the local options already present in the club as much as possible before taking a chance with external options.

Also, Renard always keeps in mind a player’s age (a smile at… https://t. co/zAl2J181Yb

– Nilton Jorge (@NiltonJorge) March 20, 2024

– It starts soon.