Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has been dismissed by the Los Angeles Dodgers following accusations of embezzling money from baseball star Shohei Ohtani to cover illicit gambling debts. Mizuhara, 39, was a well-known figure among baseball enthusiasts, having served as Ohtani's interpreter for media interactions since Ohtani's move to the United States in 2017.
Mizuhara, who was born in Japan and relocated to the Los Angeles area in 1991, attended Diamond Bar High School and graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007. His career as an interpreter began with the Boston Red Sox, where he worked with Japanese pitcher Hideki Okajima. He later returned to Japan to assist English-speaking players on the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he first crossed paths with Ohtani in 2013.
Upon Ohtani's signing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017, Mizuhara was hired as his personal interpreter and continued in that role when Ohtani joined the Dodgers. Mizuhara was present in the Dodgers' dugout during their recent season-opening victory over San Diego in Seoul.
Reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN have shed light on Mizuhara's alleged involvement with an illegal bookmaker, prompting a statement from law firm Berk Brettler LLP asserting that Ohtani had fallen victim to a significant theft. Mizuhara admitted to gambling on various sports but denied placing bets on baseball, which is prohibited for MLB team employees.
Despite initially claiming that Ohtani had settled his gambling debts, Mizuhara later retracted his statement, asserting that Ohtani was unaware of the debts and had not transferred any funds to bookmakers. The MLB strictly prohibits betting on baseball, with violators facing a one-year ban from the sport. Penalties for illegal betting on other sports are subject to the commissioner's discretion.
