Ippei Mizuhara’s Bookie Says It Was ‚Very Obvious‘ He Was Stealing Money From Dodgers‘ Shohei Ohtani

The Los Angeles Dodgers gained the 2024 World Collection largely on account of their preseason addition of generational expertise Shohei Ohtani.

Just a few months after Ohtani put pen to paper on a 10-year, $700 million deal that introduced him to the Dodgers, a report got here out that his interpreter on the time, Ippei Mizuhara, stole greater than $16 million from the MVP.

The USA Division of Justices investigated Mizuhara and alleged he transferred that quantity over time from Ohtani’s account to an unlawful sports activities ebook.

As Mizuhara awaits a Feb. 6 sentencing in federal court docket, his bookmaker spoke for the primary time to the New York Submit and solely additional proved the ex-interpreter’s wrongdoing. The bookie, Mathew Bowyer, faces a sentence of his personal for taking unlawful bets, cash laundering, and submitting a false tax return.

“It was very apparent he was stealing cash and never asking Ohtani for permission,” Bowyer advised The Submit, including, “I actually consider he had a large playing dependancy drawback.”

Bowyer even tried to assist out with Mizuhara’s dependancy.

“I requested him if he was OK,” Bowyer stated. “He stated, ‘I’m simply horrible at this.’ I might attempt to management him a bit bit. …

“He by no means acted as if the greenback quantities impacted him for one second. He was so well mannered and so respectful.”

One may argue that the quantities by no means impacted him like most individuals for the reason that quantity didn’t even belong to him, because it belonged to the longer term three-time MVP.

Mizuhara allegedly pretended to be Ohtani as he tried to wire himself $200,000 of stolen cash in calls with the financial institution.

Assistant U.S. legal professional Jeff Mitchell wrote in a court docket submitting that though the playing dependancy was apparent, there have been different elements at play.

“Even when defendant is hooked on playing, it can not totally clarify defendant’s conduct as a result of defendant used the stolen funds for quite a few private bills that had nothing to do with playing,” Mitchell wrote. “Finally, the federal government submits, the motivating issue behind defendant’s crimes was not a playing dependancy however moderately greed.”

One way or the other, none of this appeared to get in Ohtani’s manner as he earned a Nationwide League MVP award, a World Collection championship, and have become the primary participant in MLB historical past to hit greater than 50 dwelling runs and steal greater than 50 bases.

Federal prosecutors are requesting a 57-month jail sentence and for Mizuhara to repay Ohtani the $16.9 million he stole from him.

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