Mar 22, 2024, 6:45 p.m. ET
MLB is expected to request interviews with Ohtani and his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, although both may refuse to cooperate in the investigation due to different situations.
Big leagues (MLB) ha open a formal investigation about him issue surrounding to the superstar of Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtaniand his former interpreter Ippei Mizuharathe baseball league announced on Friday.
MLB is expected to request interviews with all parties, including Ohtani and Mizuhara, a source told ESPN, although officials will have no way to force Mizuhara to cooperate since he no longer works for baseball.
Shohei Ohtani (left) and Ippei Mizuhara will be investigated by MLB regarding the matter surrounding the Dodgers star. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
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Ohtani also has the right to refuse to cooperate as a member of the MLB Players Association. Ohtani could also invoke his right, under one interpretation of arbitration precedent, to refuse to cooperate because of a criminal investigation already underway. Traditionally, MLB has argued that it can only invoke such an exception if the player is a target, which Ohtani is not believed to be.
“Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we became aware of the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhari through the media,” Major League Baseball said in a statement. “Earlier today, our Department of Investigation (DOI) began its formal investigation process into the matter.”
The announcement came two days after Mizuhara was fired, as reporters pressed for questions about at least $4.5 million in wire transfers, sent from Ohtani’s bank account, to a gambling operation that is under federal investigation.
In a span of two days, Ohtani’s handlers went from saying the slugger had paid off Mizuhara’s gambling debts to his lawyers announcing that he had been the victim of a “massive robbery.”
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It is unclear if any authorities are investigating the alleged theft. Ohtani’s representatives said Thursday that they had officially presented the allegation to authorities, but did not say to which authorities. Multiple sources told ESPN that neither the California Bureau of Investigation nor the FBI were working on the case.
Spokespeople for the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles and Orange county district attorney’s offices said they were not investigating and indicated it was most likely a federal matter. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California declined to comment.
2024-03-23 00:33:08
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