– 16 instead of 4.5 million – the criminal case surrounding the baseball star is getting wilder
The highest-paid baseball player in the world, the Japanese Shohei Ohtani, suddenly had large sums of money missing from his account. And it gets even worse.
Published: April 12, 2024, 2:17 p.m
The Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani is believed to have had his interpreter steal a significantly higher amount of millions than previously thought. Ippei Mizuhara is accused by the US Attorney’s Office of withdrawing more than $16 million from Ohtani’s account without authorization, the Justice Department in Washington said. Previously the amount was assumed to be $4.5 million.
Mizuhara is accused of bank fraud, for which he faces up to 30 years in prison. The interpreter was a long-time friend of the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar. According to the ministry, Mizuhara used the stolen millions to pay off immense debts from illegal sports betting.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said there was no evidence that Ohtani, 29, knew about his interpreter’s illegal sports betting. “Mr Ohtani is viewed as a victim in this case,” emphasized Estrada.
Ohtani himself said in March that he knew nothing about Mizuhara’s gambling problems. He has not yet commented publicly on how so much money could have been withdrawn from his account without him noticing. Mizuhara, on the other hand, initially claimed that Ohtani knew about the debt and wanted to help him with the million-dollar payment.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December. The Japanese is an absolute standout in baseball as he is both an outstanding hitter and pitcher. The pitcher’s job is to throw the ball so hard and fast that the opposing hitter doesn’t hit him with his bat or only hits it poorly. (AFP)
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2024-04-12 19:44:35
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