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The tumult surrounding Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will only increase as more information comes to light about the gambling scandal involving his former performer, Ippei Mizuhara. The scope of the story has only expanded since Ohtani’s representatives accused Mizuhara of committing a “massive theft” to pay off $4.5 million in debts to an alleged illegal gambling house under federal investigation.
Many questions (about the competitive schedules offered by Mizuhara, the method of Mizuhara’s alleged theft, the issue of Mizuhara’s gambling) remain unanswered. But here’s what we do know as the saga continues to unfold.
MLB is investigating Ohtani
Shortly before 6 p.m. on Friday, after two days of apparent contemplation, Major League Baseball announced that after “gathering information” about “allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara,” its Investigations Department had begun “its formal investigation process into the matter.” The carefully worded statement avoided the direct implication that Ohtani, the sport’s biggest star and recent recipient of a $700 million contract with the Dodgers, was under investigation. But the league is expected to try to investigate the scandal as Ohtani’s team files charges against Mizuhara.
It’s unclear how many teeth MLB’s investigation will have. The league cannot force Mizuhara to conduct an interview because he is no longer an employee of the league. The league can request an interview with Ohtani, who has the backing of the Major League Baseball Players Association, but he can decline at the discretion of his attorney. Federal authorities may also not provide information to MLB while their own investigation is just beginning.
MLB is unlikely to place Ohtani on administrative leave, as is common during other investigations, because Ohtani is not currently facing charges. Mizuhara initially claimed that Ohtani approved debt payments to Mathew Bowyer, the alleged Southern California bookmaker who is the subject of a federal investigation. (Sports betting remains illegal in California, along with 11 other states.) Those payments can violate baseball rules, which prevent employees from placing bets at illegal sportsbooks. In both accounts he provided to ESPNMizuhara has insisted that he never bet on baseball.
The IRS is investigating Mizuhara
In a vacuum, the initial story presented by Mizuhara portrays Ohtani as a wealthy friend who intervened on Mizuhara’s behalf to settle his debts. Ohtani did so, Mizuhara initially claimed, in a series of nine payments of $500,000 to Bowyer. Those payments, while theoretically well-intentioned, may violate the federal tax code.
The IRS has opened a criminal investigation into Mizuhara, the associated press reported. Bowyer is also under investigation by the agency’s Los Angeles office.
Questions arise about Mizuhara’s background
As Ohtani’s representatives press charges against Mizuhara, scrutiny of the performer’s background has increased. a story in The Athletic He outlined a number of inaccuracies in the resume Mizuhara submitted in recent years. Mizuhara had said that she was born in Japan, attended high school in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of California, Riverside. As first reported by NBC Los Angeles, the university indicated that its records contained no evidence that Mizuhara ever attended the school.
Mizuhara had also suggested that he acted as a translator for pitcher Hideki Okajima during the spring of 2012 with the New York Yankees. But Okajima failed a physical exam and never attended camp with the club. The Boston Red Sox also questioned previously published reporters that Mizuhara had played for Okajima during the pitcher’s tenure there.
Ohtani has yet to address the situation
The Dodgers have returned to Southern California for exhibition games against the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani’s former team, beginning Sunday at Dodger Stadium. It’s unlikely that many questions will arise about baseball. Ohtani has not addressed the media since the story broke. He was cautious about engaging in much dialogue with the press long before this scandal emerged. The Dodgers stationed a pair of team officials in front of his locker to discourage reporters from approaching him after a game in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday.
Whenever Ohtani speaks to the media, he may decline to answer questions out of deference to the ongoing investigation.
The Dodgers are expected to use Will Ireton, the team’s performance operations manager, as Ohtani’s new interpreter. Ireton was the interpreter for former Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda from 2016 to 2019.
(Top photo by Shohei Ohtani and Ippei MizuharaL Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)