They were counting the decimals. "Pay to the order of... Matthew Bowyer... four million, five hundred thousand dollars AND NINE CENTS!"
Shohei Ohtani’s attorneys accuse interpreter of ‘massive theft’ tied to alleged gambling
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If Im following, both Ohtani stories include a large money wire from Ohtani's very own bank account to a black-market bookie who is under federal investigation.
Here on planet earth that simple transaction would constitute "concerning."
Like MLB, I would just prefer for this to go away in the news cycle, but Im having my doubts
Has Ohtani made a statement yet?
Between his representatives setting up the interview with ESPN, and then the changing narrative, I think Ohtani needs to fire someone - not so much for botching this, but to at least imply that it was the PR folks, not Ohtani, that botched the narrative here.
If you know or have known anyone with an addiction then you'll have some idea of what the addict will do to get their next.....whatever. Since this topic is gambling.....lets stay there. There are some basic rules to lets say.....blackjack. If you lose and have enough money in your pocket....you just keep doubling your next hand until you eventually win and totally regroup and then start over again. With Blackjack....you make choices. With college basketball.....you can't do anything.
How does someone get $4.5 mil in the hole yet only making half a mil a year tops? Draftkings is where (lets say someone) started. I don't gamble so this is just what I'm assuming.....you have to pay up front by credit card. This is also around 3 years ago. When the credit card gets maxed......and ur hooked.....you go to the next place.....still have to pay off that credit card. Now ur dealing with someone that's possibly shady.....and that person knows who you are and ur job.....and also knows that your best friend in life is the "Babe" of modern baseball. You're getting deeper and deeper in the hole.....again, I'm not addicted to anything to the extreme of $4.5 mil so I don't know what kind of rationality is in the person and what he might or might not do. They were BEST FRIENDS!
How does someone get $4.5 mil in the hole yet only making half a mil a year tops? Draftkings is where (lets say someone) started. I don't gamble so this is just what I'm assuming.....you have to pay up front by credit card. This is also around 3 years ago. When the credit card gets maxed......and ur hooked.....you go to the next place.....still have to pay off that credit card. Now ur dealing with someone that's possibly shady.....and that person knows who you are and ur job.....and also knows that your best friend in life is the "Babe" of modern baseball. You're getting deeper and deeper in the hole.....again, I'm not addicted to anything to the extreme of $4.5 mil so I don't know what kind of rationality is in the person and what he might or might not do. They were BEST FRIENDS!
As a longtime gambler, I would be willing to wager significant money that there is almost zero chance that Ohtani is not responsible for these gambling losses.
There is no bookie in America who is going to let $4.5m in debt accumulate on a guy making $300k a year, this bookie knew he had a sucker on the line (Ohtani) and was 100% comfortable he would reel him in based on his income.
With that said, MLB will make sure nothing really comes of it for Shohei.
There is no bookie in America who is going to let $4.5m in debt accumulate on a guy making $300k a year, this bookie knew he had a sucker on the line (Ohtani) and was 100% comfortable he would reel him in based on his income.
With that said, MLB will make sure nothing really comes of it for Shohei.
I’m confused. How can MLB make something “go away” that is possibly a federal crime? I mean, isn’t participating in illegal gambling still a crime in this country? If Ohtani actually did that, how does it matter what MLB wants to happen?
It Sounds like the level of a specific federal crime is not particularly severe, as the feds seemingly have bigger fish to reel in.
however, does his status as a non-citizen affect how the legal aspect plays out? I am assuming he is in the US on a work visa, which may have a lower threshold to revocation than a felony conviction.
however, does his status as a non-citizen affect how the legal aspect plays out? I am assuming he is in the US on a work visa, which may have a lower threshold to revocation than a felony conviction.
It seems pretty clear to me that the "massive theft" is entirely made up. Too many conflicting stories and general improbability.
Ohtani better hope there is no baseball betting. He can potentially plead ignorance, bad associates, etc and get off with a slap on the wrist.
Ohtani better hope there is no baseball betting. He can potentially plead ignorance, bad associates, etc and get off with a slap on the wrist.
Japanese sources are saying Ohtani has deleted all the photos of his bestie from IG. Another story going around is that one of the wires sent was on the same day as his last arm surgery.
Red Sox announced Mizuhara never worked for Red Sox. I guess everyone is trying to stay clear of the explosion when it finally goes off.
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Was it an announcement or a reply to a question that may have been asked?
Edit...Evidently the AP issued a story (since corrected) mentioning Mizuhara as previously working for the Sox was the catalyst for the statement.
https://apnews.com/article/ohtani-mizuhara-interpreter-74da3b2a476a4649c2a62d12c0b6aca1
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Sox say he never worked for him.
https://theathletic.com/5364216/2024/03/23/shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-biography-inaccuracies/?source=user_shared_article
At this point, the only thing I care about is the details of exactly who he was betting on. As a baseball fan, every other aspect of this story is window dressing.
It’s obvious Ohtani was the one making the bets.
It’s obvious Ohtani was the one making the bets.
The lawyer who made the public statement looks to be an entertainment lawyer, which makes some sense I guess as the initial story is more a publicity-oriented one.
If Ohtani does not have a top-tier white collar attorney aboard by now (and really should have well before the initial statement) it's an almost unimaginable miss by his team.
Curious if anyone has seen any other lawyer/law firm names here? He's in the midst of a MLB investigation and possibly a crim/tax one as well.
Side note: I don't think there's particular significance to that heavily-deferred contract and this being out there as a risk - but tee up that in case someone else can figure out any reason they might be related. The initial $3.5 mil loss is peanuts for him - thus, suspect doesn't matter/doesn't relate. But interesting that two unusual things happened around him a few months apart, I guess.
If Ohtani does not have a top-tier white collar attorney aboard by now (and really should have well before the initial statement) it's an almost unimaginable miss by his team.
Curious if anyone has seen any other lawyer/law firm names here? He's in the midst of a MLB investigation and possibly a crim/tax one as well.
Side note: I don't think there's particular significance to that heavily-deferred contract and this being out there as a risk - but tee up that in case someone else can figure out any reason they might be related. The initial $3.5 mil loss is peanuts for him - thus, suspect doesn't matter/doesn't relate. But interesting that two unusual things happened around him a few months apart, I guess.
I'm guessing he'll be advised not to. Not while the incident is being investigated.
Yeah, same here........but....dangerous/self incriminating possibilities. I guess he has to say "something". There'll be things lost in translation no doubt.
I'm looking forward to hearing him express his great loyalty for the Dodger fans, given that the Dodgers were the only team to approach him with an offer during free agency.
I honestly can’t think of many Asian employees of ESPN. Mina Kimes and Gary Striewski (really) are the only two with Asian heritage I can come up with.
they can hire a translator ... the idea is, have instant feedback on whether ohtani's camp is spinning what he says. if you wait until someone reviews the tape, you lose the chance to respond in real time
A problem with translations is the culture plus some words/phrases can't be translated. Ohtani can say something that he understands the meaning of whereas the translator (if not having grown up in Japan/Japanese culture) can take it a different way if not close friends or knowing the real details. It could be a real shit show or a complete nothing.
Evidence Ohtani bet on MLB games. Suspension
Evidence Ohtani bet on his teams games.
Lifetime ban is the precedent.
Evidence that Ohtani bet on other sports but not baseball.
Why would there even be ANY punishment?
Basically, without proof he bet on baseball this is a huge nothingburger.
And just to note that there still isn't any evidence he actually bet on anything at all.
I think it’s mentioned somewhere upthread but if he’s betting with FD, DK, MGM and not baseball, no problem. Betting with illegal bookies, problem.
Because gambling is illegal in that state so he's probably guilty of half a dozen felonies.
Also the CBA prohibits any illegal gambling, which this is, and betting with a bookie
FD and DK are illegal where he is. MGM probably too, but I'm not sure.
Accepting bets as an illegal bookie is a felony.
Betting with an illegal bookie is not.
Basically, it is the bookmaking that is illegal and not the betting. Aside from individual professionals there are numerous betting groups who legally employ staff, in states where sports betting is or was not legal, to bet into illegal bookmakers.
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Laws on this vary by state. AFAIK betting on sports is itself mostly illegal in California (outside of horses). https://www.federallawyers.com/criminal-defense/is-sports-betting-legal-in-california/ seems to support that.
Legally a total non-issue even in CA where it isn’t illegal to place a bet only to accept one. His problem would be if he bet on baseball just like Rose. Now I’m sure there would be ways to frame him by using wire acts, interstate laws, etc but nobody is doing this to anyone without an agenda.
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The idea that you would refer to the possibility of criminal charges for wire fraud or federal money laundering (“interstate laws”) as an attempt to “frame” Ohtani suggests that you might be the one with an agenda.
I’ll repeat what I said earlier in the thread: the original story from Ohtani’s camp - that he was paying off his friend’s debt - is one that may have technically exposed him to criminal liability, but wasn’t (IMO) going to result in any charges or punishment by MLB. Changing stories so abruptly and making the interpreter the fall guy is the only reason I feel like there may be a problem for Ohtani.
We’ll see how it goes today, but it feels like a foolish risk to have Ohtani say anything at this point.
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Legal or not, it’s against the CBA. The Athletic posted about it the other day, here’s the most relevant section:
I would agree that normally nobody would care if a friend of Ohtani's literally bet his mortgage money and lost a $4.5M bet on a soccer match made on DraftKings, even if the bet took place in CA. Nobody would be going to jail.
What we have here is someone who bet a lot of money with an illegal bookie, and one that was on the feds radar for whatever reason. If those bets, for example, were directed by Ohtani to avoid having to having a trackable record (e.g., DraftKings bets), then even if the bets were not on baseball, a lengthy suspension would be on the table. Actually, intent wouldn't matter, as others have noted that such bets violate the terms of the CBA, which does bind player behavior as well.
There’s no agenda in thinking that law enforcement wouldn’t dig deep into their playbook with some aiding and abetting charge to force Ohtani to flip on the gambling operation. That’s the only way anyone would be going after a bettor. Is there a precedent of this occuring for any other reason? Ohtani’s concerns otherwise would only be with MLB.