Representatives for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of participating in a “massive theft” of the player's funds to place bets at an allegedly illegal sportsbook that is the subject of a federal investigation.
Ohtani's lawyers made that claim after The Times learned that Ohtani's name had come up in the investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an Orange County resident. Ohtani's representatives investigated the actions of the performer, Ippei Mizuhara, in response to questions from the Times, a source close to the matter said. Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.
In a statement, West Hollywood law firm Berk Brettler said: “In responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive robbery and we are turning the matter over to authorities.”
Attempts to reach Mizuhara were unsuccessful. Mizuhara made bets with Bowyer, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to share confidential information.
The Dodgers fired Mizuhara on Wednesday, a team spokesman said. One of the sources said Mizuhara was not truthful when she was asked about the Times' questions. She was still performing for Ohtani on Wednesday in Seoul.
Ohtani, a global sensation who signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December after playing six years with the Angels, could not be reached for comment. He is with the Dodgers in Seoul for a season-opening series against the San Diego Padres.
Prosecutors have not contacted Major League Baseball, a spokesman said.
Bowyer has not been charged with any crime, said his Irvine-based attorney, Diane Bass. Federal agents raided Bowyer's home in San Juan Capistrano last year as part of the investigation.
Bass told The Times that Bowyer never had contact with Ohtani. “Mathew Bowyer never met, spoke to, texted or had contact in any way with Shohei Ohtani,” he said.
The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, which is overseeing the investigation, did not respond to requests for comment.
The MLB betting policy prohibits “any player, umpire or official or employee of the Club or League” from betting on the game or placing illegal bets on other sports. The punishment for betting with an illegal bookmaker or its agent is not specified in MLB rules, but is left to “such sanction as the Commissioner deems appropriate in light of the facts and circumstances of the conduct.”
The investigation into Bowyer involves the same prosecution team that has focused on a multimillion-dollar illegal sports betting scheme anchored in Orange County, according to Times sources and court records. At least a dozen people have been charged in that broader investigation, including former Dodger Yasiel Puig, who has pleaded not guilty, that centered on a betting operation run by former minor league baseball player Wayne Nix of Newport Beach. , records show.
Mizuhara was born in Japan and grew up in Southern California. She graduated from Diamond Bar High School in 2003, where he played on the football team and later attended UC Riverside.
Mizuhara first crossed paths with Ohtani while working as an English interpreter for American players on the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani's Japanese team in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.
When Ohtani signed with the Angels in late 2017, Mizuhara became his personal interpreter. Mizuhara followed Ohtani to the Dodgers during the offseason.
Mizuhara has been a constant companion to the extremely reserved Ohtani throughout the player's MLB career. The two often drive to the stadium together. Mizuhara went grocery shopping when Ohtani was injured. He is rarely seen apart at the team facility. His wives even seemed to have recently entered into a relationship, spending time together during the team's current trip to South Korea.
In recent years, Ohtani has become the face of Major League Baseball and one of the most famous athletes in the world. Before signing with the Dodgers, Ohtani was the most sought-after free agent in baseball history, and his mammoth contract is also unprecedented.
Bowyer has appeared in numerous court records over the years. That includes a $1.75 million judgment against him for defaulting on a line of credit (a “marker,” in gambling parlance) issued in his favor by Foxwoods Resort Casino, a tribal gaming venue in Connecticut. A tribal court imposed the sentence in April 2019; An attorney for the casino filed a motion for sentencing in Orange County Superior Court in May 2023. The casino's attorney said the judgment has not been satisfied.
The Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas alleged in a lawsuit filed in July 2011 that Bowyer returned a $250,000 check to the property. The case was dismissed six months later.
Times staff writers Dylan Hernandez and Jack Harris contributed to this report.
