Spokesman: Shohei Ohtani ‘Didn’t Know What the F–k Was Going On’ with Alleged Theft

Julia StumbaughMarch 22, 2024

JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images

Shohei Ohtani “didn’t know what the f–k was going on” regarding the alleged theft from his bank account by his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara until the Los Angeles Dodgers brought him a new interpreter, a spokesman for Ohtani told ESPN’s Tisha Thompson.

Ohtani learned about alleged theft after the Dodgers’ 5-2 Wednesday victory over the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea, the spokesman told Thompson.

“He didn’t know any of it, didn’t know there was some inquiry,” the spokesman said, per Thompson. “After the game, that’s when he found out.”

Mizuhara was fired Wednesday afternoon after allegations that he was involved in at least $4.5 million in wire transfers sent from Ohtani’s account to the associate of a South California bookmaker, as reported by ESPN and the Los Angeles Times.

The spokesman indicated that prior to his firing, “Mizuhara had been able to control information to Ohtani in his position as the interpreter,” according to Thompson.

Thompson wrote: “According to the Dodgers official and Ohtani’s spokesman, Ohtani’s representatives had continued to rely on Mizuhara to communicate with Ohtani while they were dealing with the situation, and Mizuhara did not tell Ohtani what was happening.”

Dodgers players first learned of the breaking news Wednesday morning (night in Seoul) during a clubhouse meeting following the team’s 5-2 win over the Padres, per Thompson.

During this meeting, Mizuhara apologized and said he had a gambling addiction, while Dodgers executive Andrew Friedman said Ohtani “had helped to cover Mizuhara’s losses,” a team official told Thompson.

It was only after the meeting, while traveling to his hotel, that Ohtani learned what Mizuhara had said and disagreed with his interpreter’s account, the spokesman told Thompson.

The spokesman added that Wednesday was the first time Ohtani had learned of the millions of dollars absent from his bank account.

Mizuhara was fired later that day in the U.S., or Thursday morning in Seoul.

Sports gambling is illegal in California. Berk Brettler LLP, the law firm representing Ohtani, said Wednesday they were “turning the matter over to the authorities.”