Ohtani's Interpreter Accused of Theft, Fired.

[Can_of_corn]

Fallout from an investigation of Mathew Bowyer over illegal gambling.

Quote

Representatives of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a “massive theft” of the ballplayer’s funds to place bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation.

Two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars.

 

 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-20/gambling-story?utm_source=reddit.com

[MDK02]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Fallout from an investigation of Mathew Bowyer over illegal gambling.

 

 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-20/gambling-story?utm_source=reddit.com

Anyone else think this sounds like a cover up for Ohtani being the one who was actually betting on games? Seems pretty suspicious. 

[Hazmat]

https://youtu.be/1Hkm5sEcmVY?si=C6IsROWZnH9yIf2Y

[Satyr3206]

21 minutes ago, MDK02 said:

Anyone else think this sounds like a cover up for Ohtani being the one who was actually betting on games? Seems pretty suspicious. 

I doubt that. What would Ohtani have to bet to beat his $70 million dollar salary?

[Satyr3206]

Not to mention the $65 million he makes in endorsements.

[Can_of_corn]

23 minutes ago, MDK02 said:

Anyone else think this sounds like a cover up for Ohtani being the one who was actually betting on games? Seems pretty suspicious. 

It is suspicious since the story has already changed once.

Evidently the first story was that:

Quote

In the Tuesday interview arranged by Ohtani's spokesman, Mizuhara, 39, told ESPN that he asked Ohtani last year to pay off his gambling debt, which multiple sources said had ballooned to at least $4.5 million.

But on Wednesday afternoon, Mizuhara told ESPN that Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and that Ohtani had not transferred money to the bookmaker's associate.

 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Satyr3206 said:

Not to mention the $65 million he makes in endorsements.

He's not making 70M a year in salary.

Add in endorsements and yea, he's pretty close.

[Satyr3206]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He's not making 70M a year in salary.

Add in endorsements and yea, he's pretty close.

You're right. He only get 2 million a year in salary. And the endorsement money. Then when he retires he gets $68 million a year for a good while. I  just don't see the incentive to gamble. Doesn't seem to fit his personality either.

[Hazmat]

Just now, Satyr3206 said:

You're right. He only get 2 million a year in salary. And the endorsement money. Then when he retires he gets $68 million a year for a good while. I  just don't see the incentive to gamble. Doesn't seem to fit his personality either.

Didn’t Michael Jordan have a gambling addiction?  I don’t think it has to do with incentive for money.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Hazmat said:

Didn’t Michael Jordan have a gambling addiction?  I don’t think it has to do with incentive for money.

We don't know.

The version that rings most true to me right now is the one where Ippei racked up the debt and asked Ohtani to pay it off for him.

[OriolesMagic83]

It's just odd that Ohtani's interpreter had access to all of Ohtani's money.  I can see giving him a credit card, but allowing him to do bank transfers?  Sounds very fishy. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

It's just odd that Ohtani's interpreter had access to all of Ohtani's money.  I can see giving him a credit card, but allowing him to do bank transfers?  Sounds very fishy. 

In the version I favor Ohtani paid off his friend's debt.

Anyway Ohtani is someone that gave all his money he made in the NPB for his parents to hold for him. 

[OriolesMagic83]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

In the version I favor Ohtani paid off his friend's debt.

Anyway Ohtani is someone that gave all his money he made in the NPB for his parents to hold for him. 

Well that does seem to fit more with his personality.  He doesn't seem to have the high roller gambler/Michael Jordan personality. 

[SteveA]

Yeah, this doesn't add up.

Well, actually it DOES add up, but it adds up to something very different than the story being put forth.

[Satyr3206]

I don't know what the truth is. Therefore I will have no opinion until I learn more.