Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has broken his silence after a shocking scandal involving his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara. Ohtani, 29, declared himself \"saddened and shocked\" upon discovering that Mizuhara allegedly stole \$4.5 million from his bank account to pay off massive gambling debts. 😱
\"I never bet on baseball or any other sports,\" Ohtani stated firmly. \"I've never asked anyone to do that on my behalf, and I've never gone through a bookmaker to bet on sports.\"
The scandal erupted last week when Mizuhara was fired following allegations of theft and gambling. Ohtani emphasized that he had been a victim in this situation and was unaware of Mizuhara's gambling problems until recently.
\"Until a couple of days ago, I didn't know this was happening,\" Ohtani said at a press conference at Dodger Stadium. \"Ippei has stolen money from my account and told lies. I'm very saddened and shocked that someone I trusted has done this.\" 💔
Ohtani joined the Dodgers last December in a record-breaking \$700 million deal, becoming one of the biggest stars in baseball. His calm demeanor during the press conference belied the turmoil of the situation. He did not take questions from reporters and did not explain how Mizuhara was able to access his bank account.
The first hint of trouble came after the Dodgers' win over the Padres in South Korea last Wednesday. \"During the team meeting, Ippei was speaking English, but I didn't have a translator by my side,\" Ohtani recalled. \"I kind of understood what was going on and started to feel there was something amiss.\"
With Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and team president Andrew Friedman looking on, Ohtani expressed his disappointment over the betrayal. The situation has left fans around the world stunned and sympathizing with the star player.
As this story unfolds, the baseball community watches closely to support Ohtani during this challenging time. Stay tuned for more updates. 💪
Reference(s):
Ohtani denies betting on baseball, 'saddened, shocked' by scandal
cgtn.com
