Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani addressed recent allegations denying any involvement in sports betting. Speaking on Monday, Ohtani stated he has never bet on baseball or any other sports, and expressed that he is \"saddened and shocked\" by the unfolding scandal.
The controversy arose after accusations that Ohtani's longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen from his bank account to cover millions in gambling debts. In his first public comments, Ohtani emphasized that he was unaware of Mizuhara's financial issues until the scandal broke last week.
\"I never bet on baseball or any other sports, and I never have asked somebody to do that on my behalf, and I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports,\" Ohtani affirmed through a translator.
Ohtani, who joined the Dodgers in December with a record-breaking $700 million deal, refuted claims made by Mizuhara in an ESPN interview. He called Mizuhara's statement that he had wired money to a California bookmaker to settle gambling debts \"a complete lie.\"
\"Obviously, I never agreed to pay off this debt or make payments to the bookmakers,\" the 29-year-old athlete told reporters at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani further stated, \"All of this has been a complete lie … Until a couple of days ago, I didn't know this was happening … Ippei has stolen money from my account and told lies.\" He added, \"I'm very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this.\"
Throughout his remarks, Ohtani remained calm and composed, choosing not to answer reporters' questions or explain how Mizuhara accessed his bank account to steal the reported $4.5 million.
With Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and team president Andrew Friedman present, Ohtani revealed that he first became aware of Mizuhara's gambling issues during a team meeting after their win over the Padres in South Korea last Wednesday. He noted, \"During the team meeting, Ippei was speaking English, but I didn't have a translator by my side. But I kind of understood what was going on and started to feel there was something amiss.\"
Reference(s):
Ohtani denies betting on baseball, 'saddened, shocked' by scandal
cgtn.com
