<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - Shohei Ohtani responds to gambling allegations against his former interpreter"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">There were no dark secrets exposed, no titillating confessions and no apologies. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Shohei Ohtani, Major League Baseball’s biggest star, sat in front of a sea of reporters and tape recorders for 12 minutes on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, and without the slightest bit of nervousness, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2024/03/25/what-happened-with-shohei-ohtani-interpreter-gambling/73091610007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">said that that he simply was duped</a>. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">He insisted that that he had zero knowledge, zero inkling and absolutely zero involvement in his <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2024/03/20/dodgers-fire-shohei-ohtani-interpreter-stealing-money-allegations/73047113007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">interpreter’s gambling addiction, racking up at least $4.5 million in sports wagering</a> with an alleged illegal bookmaker. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“I’ve never bet on baseball or any other sport,’’ Ohtani said, “or ever asked anyone to do it on my behalf. I never went through a bookmaker.’’</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Ohtani, who understands basic English and can speak limited English, said he had no idea that Mizuhara had a gambling addiction or withdrew money out his account until Mizuhara informed the Dodgers organization and players last week in a team meeting.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong>MLB SALARIES:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":body nav (mlbSalary)|e|auto spike click:6|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2024/03/19/highest-paid-mlb-baseball-player-2024/72469509007/">Baseball's top 25 highest-paid players in 2024</a></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“Up until that team meeting,’’ Ohtani said, “I didn’t know that Ippei had a gambling addiction and was in debt.’’</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">He never met, spoke to, or ever heard of Mathew Bowyer, the target of a federal investigation for allegedly running an illegal bookmaking operation in Southern California. </p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">“I never agreed to pay off the debt,’’ Ohtani said, “or make payments to the bookmaker.’’</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">And he never granted permission for Mizuhara to take funds out of his...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2024/03/25/shohei-ohtani-duped-gambling-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-dodgers/73094234007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
