Two sources told that federal investigators will likely charge Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter in a gambling probe involving a California bookie.
Sources say Ohtani, who signed a large deal with the Dodgers late last year, has been helping with the inquiry.
TMZ said that former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara will be charged, citing unnamed law enforcement sources. Mizuhara's attorney didn't comment Wednesday. Ohtani representatives also rejected comment.
The Dodgers fired Mizuhara on March 21 after Ohtani's attorneys claimed “massive theft” from him related to sports gambling.
Ohtani denied sports betting and said he had been misled and lied to in his first public comments on March 25. Major League Baseball is investigating. Mizuhara not only translated for Ohtani but also became his close friend and daily companion.
“I’m very saddened and shocked that someone I trusted has done this,” Ohtani told a Los Angeles news conference last month.
A source told that Mizuhara was accused of wire transfers from Ohtani's account totaling at least $4.5 million, made in at least nine payments of $500,000. The transfers were made to a Southern California bookmaking operation under federal investigation.
The 29-year-old Japanese player joined the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim in 2018 and then joined the Dodgers in December for $700 million over 10 years.
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