JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
‘Betrayal Change a Person’ - MLB Fans Back Shohei Ohtani as He Deletes Picture of Ippei Mizuhara from IG Amid Gambling Scandal
Find out MLB fans' reaction to Shohei Ohtani's Instagram cleanup amid the betting scandal involving his ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara are at the center of a major gambling controversy. Large sums of money, reportedly totaling at least $4.5 million, were transferred from Ohtani's bank account in multiple transactions of $500,000 each. These transfers were allegedly made to an associate of an illegal bookmaker, Mathew Boawyer, under federal investigation.
Ohtani's legal representatives claim that Mizuhara stole this money to cover his gambling debts and called it a "massive theft." Initially, Mizuhara reportedly told Ohtani that he was aware of the situation and had agreed to help him pay off the debts. However, Mizuhara changed his story entirely, claiming that Ohtani did not know about the transfers or gambling.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has launched a formal investigation into the situation due to the sport's strict rules against gambling, even if a player isn't directly placing bets. However, Ohtani has not been accused of any wrongdoing and maintains he is not a gambler. On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani's team, fired Mizuhara upon learning of the allegations.
In the middle of legal troubles, Shohei Ohtani made a sneaky move by removing photos of his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, from his Instagram. Fans quickly spotted the change and took to X, formerly Twitter to post about it. As the news spread, support flooded in from fans for Ohtani.
“I would do too.. betrayal can change a person so much,” wrote one fan.
“Now if that doesn’t tell you he’s hurt idk what does,” wrote another fan.
“Waaaaaaa. Ohtaniiii is mad, mad,” read a third comment from a Japanese MLB fan.
“Did he also unfollow him on Instagram?” a curious fan questioned.
“This is going to take a huge toll on Shohei. No way the loss of anBFF like that doesn’t impact his mental health,” wrote a fifth fan.
Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara’s Friendship
Ippei Mizuhara has been Shohei Ohtani's interpreter since his playing days in Japan. Ippei continued in that role when Ohtani joined the MLB in 2018. Mizuhara was more than just an interpreter. He spent a lot of time with Ohtani, even during the offseason. While their close friendship was evident, the recent gambling allegations have made their friendship hit a rough patch.
Will Shohei Ohtani face any consequences?
FYI, if Major League Baseball (MLB) determines that Shohei Ohtani indirectly broke any rules by betting on baseball, he could face disciplinary action. This situation appears to be on the civil side, regarding financial transactions, rather than criminal, involving direct bets. Civil penalties would likely be less severe than criminal ones.
Who is Helping Shohei Ohtani Translate English to Japanese?
Will Ireton is currently assisting Shohei Ohtani as his temporary interpreter after Ippei Mizuhara left. Additionally, Will serves as the Dodgers' performance operations manager. Before filling in for Ohtani, Ireton had experience interpreting for teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Kenta Maeda.
Latest Articles
