Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers is finally addressing the gambling scandal involving his former interpreter. Ohtani says he has never bet on sports, claiming his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole millions from his account to cover his gambling debts.

Los Angeles

Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani, known for his role with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has publicly addressed allegations surrounding a gambling scandal linked to his former interpreter. Ohtani has adamantly stated that he has never placed bets on sports. He alleges that his former interpreter, identified as Ippei Mizuhara, misappropriated millions of dollars from his account to settle his own gambling debts.

This revelation puts a spotlight on the trust and financial management aspects between athletes and their support staff. Ohtani's assertion brings forward a serious accusation of financial misconduct, shedding light on personal tribulations beyond his sporting achievements.



Baseball star Shohei Ohtani speaks out on gambling scandal

After days of rumours, innuendo and shifting narratives baseball megastar Shohei Ohtani finally spoke publicly through his new interpreter. I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf and I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports. Ohtani says that he is the victim in this story. I'm very saddened and shocked that someone who I'm trusted has done this. When some four and a half million dollars in wire transfers from Ohtani's bank account to a California bookmaker were found by federal investigators as sports gambling is illegal in that state the initial explanation was the player was paying off interpreter Ipe Mizuharu's debts. That's now changed. I did not never agreed to pay off the debt or you know make payments to the bookmaker. But many questions remain. How did Mizuharu access Ohtani's account and why did a bookie let an interpreter go that far into debt? Major League Baseball is also investigating. Baseball has always taken these type of things very seriously whether you are a utility player or you are a star ball player and so this is going to be I would imagine a protracted investigation that Major League Baseball is going to undertake. It's totally up to you. With sports embracing all aspects of gambling some say this story is an opportunity to revisit and possibly loosen the rules involving athletes betting on sports. I think it's time for the league to look at this stuff overall. Everyone else is it's they're under you know microscope at this point so I think definitely rules need to change. This story is still very much in the first inning for baseball's 700 million dollar man with opening day just around the corner. Jamie Strachan, CBC News, Toronto.

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