Just moments after Matt Bowyer launched an interactive chat on Instagram Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani connected with a low slider, driving the ball nearly 440 feet for a leadoff home run—marking his 23rd of the season. This home run, which soared into left-center field, became Ohtani's 132nd since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, establishing him as the leading home run hitter in Major League Baseball during that period. Bowyer expressed his admiration for Ohtani’s extraordinary skills and mentioned his eagerness to attend a Dodgers game this season, his first since his release from prison this past spring.
In a press conference aided by interpreter Will Ireton, who replaced the previous translator Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani acknowledged a delay in his return to pitching due to a biceps injury. Despite this setback, he remains the frontrunner for the National League MVP award, aiming to be the first player since Barry Bonds to win the title in four consecutive seasons. Fans had high expectations for Ohtani’s “Big Blue” era, which commenced with the 2024 MLB Korea Series, roughly 6,000 miles from Chavez Ravine.
After the incident on March 20, 2024, that dramatically affected the lives of Ohtani, Bowyer, and Mizuhara, Ohtani’s performance has continued to impress. On that date, Mizuhara informed ESPN that Ohtani had sent millions to accounts controlled by Bowyer to help settle part of Mizuhara's gambling debts. This claim was later retracted by Mizuhara, who stated that Ohtani had been the victim of significant embezzlement.
The ongoing controversy reignited this week following the release of new audio from Mizuhara’s initial interview with ESPN. Bowyer reiterated his belief that Ohtani did not gamble through his unlicensed sportsbook. "He did nothing wrong, I don’t believe he gambled," Bowyer declared during his Instagram session.
In the lead-up to the 2024 regular season, Ohtani and the Dodgers played a two-game series against the Padres in Seoul. At this time, Tisha Thompson, an investigative journalist from ESPN, had been investigating allegations concerning wire transfers linked to Ohtani’s name. Reports indicated that two transfers of $500,000 each had been sent to banks associated with Bowyer's gambling operation.
As Thompson gathered information, the accuracy of her sources came under scrutiny, especially after contacting Ohtani's representatives leading to a call from Hiltzik Strategies, a crisis management firm representing the star. After Bowyer's home was raided by federal authorities the previous October, he faced accusations of taking around $325 million in wagers from Mizuhara, who reported about $142.3 million in gross winnings against losses amounting to $182.9 million, which left him $40.2 million in debt. Nearly $17 million of this debt was reportedly settled in payments to Bowyer.
In a recent episode of ESPN's coverage of the situation, Thompson revealed that she met a confidential source at a clandestine location to obtain information concerning specific bank routing numbers. According to her report, two transfers occurred prior to Ohtani's season-ending injury in 2023, one on September 14, 2023, and another on October 2.
During the call, Mizuhara initially suggested that Ohtani was aware of the withdrawals, a claim he later acknowledged as fabricated. Mizuhara expressed discomfort during the wire transfer process but claimed Ohtani did not react significantly, asserting, "He didn’t make a big deal out of it."
In the Dodgers’ subsequent game, Ohtani had a notable performance, contributing to a 5-2 victory by batting two for five, including an RBI single in a pivotal eighth-inning rally. After the game, an MLB source informed Thompson that Ohtani had partially covered Mizuhara's debts and that a team meeting revealed Ohtani's intervention. Mizuhara then attributed his financial troubles to gambling addiction. On the drive back to the hotel, reports indicated that Ohtani learned of missing funds from his accounts. He subsequently contacted his legal representatives, who advised him to allow law enforcement to address the matter.
Around 2 PM ET, Ohtani’s attorneys issued a statement revealing that he was the victim of significant theft and that they were bringing the issue to the authorities’ attention. Shortly after, the Dodgers terminated Mizuhara’s employment. Mizuhara later confessed to Thompson that Ohtani had no knowledge of the debts or any transfers related to gambling.
Mizuhara, who was paid over $300,000 annually by the team, still had to rely on Bowyer’s bookmaking services due to betting limits. He allegedly placed around $233,386 worth of bets on October 26, 2023, through an illegal sportsbook run by Bowyer.
Bowyer, 51, now nearing the completion of his one-year prison term, mentioned in an interview that he was surprised by the extensive nature of Mizuhara’s initial statements during their conversations. He also conveyed that Mizuhara’s in-depth disclosures were unexpected.
Mizuhara was intercepted upon returning from South Korea and later faced charges, including bank fraud. In February 2025, he apologized Ohtani during his sentencing after admitting to betraying his trust. He is projected to be released from prison in January 2029, though potential immigration issues may complicate his return to Japan.
IRS Criminal Investigations conducted extensive interviews with Ohtani and reviewed vast amounts of text records between him and Mizuhara. Following this inquiry, Mizuhara was indicted. The IRS emphasized that Ohtani was treated with no preferential treatment just because of his fame. HSI Special Agent Chris Seymour noted previously that Ohtani displayed complete honesty when discussing the matter.
In light of the ongoing investigations, federal prosecutors challenged Mizuhara’s credibility, primarily focusing on his assertions regarding Ohtani's involvement in his gambling operations. The evidence pointed to Mizuhara's attempts to impersonate Ohtani to facilitate illegal transactions.
Bowyer continues to reaffirm his position that Ohtani never gambled, despite lingering questions about what Ohtani might have known before the season began. Bowyer stated, "There are only two people in the world who know one million percent of the truth – and that’s Ippei and Shohei."
