- Debutant Sears shines as US women rally to beat Iceland
- Sainz achieves wish with one more win for Ferrari
- Japan PM under pressure after debacle election
- Timothee Chalamet crashes his own look-alike contest
- McLaren say Verstappen penalties 'not enough' after 'ridiculous' Mexico move
- Eight-try Toulouse flatten Toulon to go top of Top 14
- Ohtani expected to play in World Series game three after injury scare: Roberts
- Centre-left opposition leads in Lithuania election
- Sainz wins Mexico Grand Prix as Norris makes most of Verstappen penalty
- Trump leads New York rally as Harris targets grassroots
- Centre-lift opposition leads in Lithuania election
- Injured Springbok Willemse to miss November Tests
- NFL Browns upset Ravens while Tagovailoa loses in comeback
- Yildiz saves Juve in eight-goal thriller at Inter as Napoli pull away
- Bolivia's ex-president blames govt as shots fired at him
- Japan ruling coalition projected to lose majority in election
- Yildiz drags Juve back from brink in eight-goal thriller at Inter
- Ford added to England squad for New Zealand clash
- Faltering Atletico stumble again at Real Betis
- Ohtani to play World Series game three after injury scare - report
- In uncertain US election, two prestige papers refuse to pick sides
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- Ex-president of Bolivia blames government as shots fired at him
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- Steen Olsen wins World Cup opener as Hirscher wows on comeback
- Georgia thrown into political turmoil after disputed vote
- Japan ruling party projected to miss majority in election
Ohtani translator case shines light on insatiable gambler
The US Justice Department investigation into Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter has painted a portrait of an insatiable gambler who turns to fraud as the losses pile up.
Ippei Mizuhara, 39, the former long-time translator and Ohtani's right-hand man, was charged on Thursday with stealing more than $16 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar's bank account in order to pay off gambling debts.
A federal complaint released as the charges against Mizuhara were announced in Los Angeles detailed a jaw-dropping volume of bets over a three-year period -- around 19,000 wagers in total -- at an average value of $12,800 per bet.
Mizuhara's total losses for the period between December 2021 and January 2024 totaled around $40.7 million, according to the complaint.
Text message exchanges between Mizuhara and his bookmakers show the interpreter struggling to keep his head above water as the debts spiral out of control.
In several text messages, Mizuhara requests one last "bump", or increase in credit, from his gambling associates.
"I'm terrible at this sport betting thing huh? Lol . . . Any chance u can bump me again?? As you know, you don't have to worry about me not paying!!" Mizuhara writes in November 2022 to a man identified as "Bookmaker 1" in the complaint.
The following month, Mizuhara again requests a credit increase.
"Can u bump me last 200? I swear on my mom this will be the last ask before I pay it off once I get back to the States," he writes.
- 'It's all over for me' -
In May 2023, "Bookmaker 1" appears to be sympathetic to Mizuhara's unlucky streak, while attempting to verify that the interpreter will soon be in a position to pay off his debts.
"I know you’ve been on a bad run," the bookmaker writes. "I don't mind bumping u, I just want to verify that you can send at least 2M ($2 million) on June 1."
But later in June, Mizuhara is back requesting another increase.
"I got my ass kicked again lol . . . . Any chance I can get one last bump? This will be my last one for a while if I lose it," he writes.
By November however, it is clear that Mizuhara's bookmaker is losing patience.
In one message the bookmaker appears to indicate that he is watching Ohtani walk his dog near his home in Newport Beach, California.
"Hey Ippie, it's 2 o'clock on Friday. I don't know why you’re not returning my calls," the bookmaker writes. "I'm here in Newport Beach and I see (Ohtani) walking his dog. I'm just gonna go up and talk to him and ask how I can get in touch with you since you're not responding? Please call me back immediately."
In January this year, the bookmaker warns Mizuhara that the interpreter is risking a situation "where this is going to get out of control."
"If I don't hear from you by the end of the day today it's gonna [sic] be out of my hands," the bookmaker writes in a message.
Mizuhara responds later that day, admitting: "To be honest with you, I'm really struggling right now and I need some time before I start to make payments."
In March, Mizuhara messages the bookmaker asking if he has seen media reports in which Ohtani states that he has been been the victim of a massive theft by his translator.
"Yes, but that's all bullshit," the bookmaker replies. "Obviously you didn't steal from him."
Mizuhara however replies with an apparent admission of guilt.
"Technically I did steal from him," he writes. "It's all over for me."
H.E.Young--AMWN