Jeff P. Mitchell of the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Central District of California read the details of the allegations against Mizuhara out loud during Tuesday’s hearing.
Federal officials announced the criminal case against Mizuhara at a press conference the day before his first court appearance, following weeks of speculation after media reports around the time of the Dodgers’ season opening game in March tied Ohtani’s bank account to payments to an illegal bookmaking operation in California.
Ohtani’s Ex-Interpreter Steals $17M From MLB Star : The Impact on Ohtani
Mizuhara’s shifting accounts about his connection to illegal betting rocked the sports world just as the Dodgers opened their season. He first claimed Ohtani agreed to pay his multimillion-dollar debt, but Ohtani’s attorneys later said the MLB star was unaware of Mizuhara’s gambling debts and was the victim of a massive theft.
Scrutiny of Ohtani and his baseball career had already reached new heights before the betting scandal broke due to a blockbuster $700 million contract he signed with the Dodgers in the offseason.
