Los Angeles Dodgers famous person Shohei Ohtani spoke with the media on Monday for the primary time since Main League Baseball opened an investigation into allegations that his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara — since fired by the Dodgers — had positioned unlawful bets on non-baseball sports activities and Ohtani’s checking account was used to pay an unlawful bookmaker hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.
Throughout his press convention Monday, Ohtani stated he has by no means wager on baseball or every other sports activities, and that Mizuhara stole from his checking account. This comes after Ohtani’s attorneys final week stated he was the sufferer of a “huge theft.”
Right here is a part of Ohtani’s assertion, which he learn in Japanese and was translated by Dodgers interpreter Will Ireton:
“I wished to be right here to have the ability to discuss. I am certain it was a tricky week for followers and the group. On a private observe, I am very saddened and shocked that somebody I trusted has executed this. Clearly at this time there are issues that I’m restricted to speak about. I do have a doc in entrance of me that may element what has occurred.
“I by no means wager on baseball or every other sports activities. I’ve by no means requested anyone to do this on my behalf. I’ve by no means gone by a bookmaker to wager on sports activities. Up till a few days in the past, I did not know this was occurring.
“Simply to go over the consequence, Ippei has been stealing cash from my account, and has informed lies.Â
“… The primary time I knew about this playing — Ippei’s playing — was after the primary recreation (in Korea) once we had the staff assembly within the clubhouse. Through the staff assembly Ippei was talking English and I did not have a translator at my aspect. However even with that, I began to really feel that there was one thing amiss.
“…Clearly I by no means agreed to repay the debt or make funds to the bookmaker. And eventually, once we went to the lodge and talked one to at least one, that was once I discovered he has huge debt, and it was revealed in the course of the assembly that Ippei admitted that he was sending cash utilizing my account to the bookmaker.
“And at that second — clearly it was an absurd factor that was occurring — I contacted my representatives at that time. Once I was lastly capable of discuss to my representatives, that is when my representatives discovered Ippei has been mendacity the entire time. And that is once I contacted the Dodgers and my attorneys.
“In conclusion, I do wish to make it clear I by no means wager on sports activities or have willfully despatched cash to the bookmaker. To summarize how I am feeling proper now, I am past shocked. It is laborious to verbalize how I am feeling at this level.”
Ohtani didn’t take any questions after studying his assertion.Â
Mizuhara initially informed ESPN in an interview final week that Ohtani had paid off his playing debt, an quantity that had reached at the very least $4.5 million. Nevertheless, his story modified a day later, and the now-fired interpreter later stated Ohtani was unaware of the funds. The story broke whereas Ohtani, Mizuhara and the Dodgers have been in Seoul, South Korea to open the MLB common season towards the Padres. The clubhouse assembly Ohtani referenced got here after their season-opening win in Korea.
MLB’s coverage permits personnel to gamble on non-diamond sports activities (e.g. baseball and softball) supplied that such exercise is authorized in that jurisdiction. Sports activities betting stays unlawful in California, nonetheless. That, in flip, explains why Mizuhara is alleged to have positioned his bets with an accused bookmaker on the middle of a federal investigation.Â
The accused bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, has denied by his lawyer that he ever talked to or met Ohtani, however Mizuhara initially claimed that Ohtani voluntarily paid off his playing money owed. Mizuhara later modified his story, stating that Ohtani was not conscious of the scenario. A legislation agency representing Ohtani informed CBS Sports activities that the two-way famous person “has been the sufferer of a large theft.”
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters on Sunday, together with Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Occasions, that he thinks it is “good” for Ohtani to talk with the media in regards to the scenario. He reiterated that he doesn’t imagine the Ohtani-Mizuhara story has been a distraction to the remainder of the clubhouse.