On Tuesday, shortly after beginning an interactive Instagram chat, Matt Bowyer witnessed Shohei Ohtani hit a stunning leadoff home run, sending a low slider nearly 440 feet and marking his 23rd of the season. This particular shot, placed in left-center, accounted for Ohtani’s 132nd homer since his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, the highest tally by any Major League Baseball player within that timeframe. During the chat, Bowyer expressed his excitement about attending a Dodgers game this season, making it his first appearance since his release from prison in spring 2023.
Ohtani, speaking through interpreter Will Ireton, who took over for the former translator Ippei Mizuhara, acknowledged that his return to pitching would be delayed due to a biceps injury. Nonetheless, Ohtani remains the leading contender for the National League MVP, aiming to be the first player since Barry Bonds to win the award for four consecutive seasons. This is the kind of recognition Dodgers fans envisioned when he commenced his "Big Blue" journey at the 2024 MLB Korea Series, approximately 6,000 miles from Chavez Ravine.
Remarkably, Ohtani's performance has continued to flourish since the pivotal event of March 20, 2024. On that day, Mizuhara had disclosed to ESPN that Ohtani transferred millions to accounts controlled by Bowyer to address some of Mizuhara’s gambling debts. Hours later, Mizuhara retracted his statement, claiming Ohtani was a victim of a significant embezzlement.
Renewed attention was brought to this incident after ESPN published audio from the initial Mizuhara interview, prompting Bowyer to restate his belief that Ohtani did not participate in any bets through his illegal sportsbook. "He did nothing wrong, I don't believe he gambled," Bowyer asserted during his Instagram session.
Eight days prior to the start of the 2024 MLB regular season, Ohtani and the Dodgers competed against the Padres in Seoul for a two-game series. At that time, Tisha Thompson, an ESPN investigative reporter, was actively following leads on a significant gambling story. Her sources informed her of allegations involving wire transfers from a bank account in Ohtani's name, including two separate transfers of $500,000 each directed to accounts associated with Bowyer’s sports betting operation.
Leading up to the opener, Thompson received misleading information linking Ohtani to the transactions. After contacting Ohtani’s representatives, she was put in touch with Hiltzik Strategies, a crisis management firm hired by Ohtani. Through the firm, Thompson connected with Mizuhara, who had served as Ohtani’s interpreter for many years. Hiltzik is known for handling high-profile clients such as Hillary Clinton and Ivanka Trump.
Bowyer’s home had been raided by federal agents the previous October, and he faced accusations of accepting approximately $325 million in bets placed by Mizuhara. Mizuhara’s reported gross winnings were $142.3 million, countered by losses totaling $182.9 million, leading to a debt of $40.2 million. During Thompson’s investigation, she sought clarity about the wire transfers and their implications.
Out of Mizuhara’s debts, Bowyer received nearly $17 million in payments, while the balance remained unpaid. Thompson's 90-minute interview with Mizuhara before the game fueled a series of inquiries from the public.
New insights provided by Thompson included her meeting with a confidential source at a covert location where she acquired bank routing numbers on an encrypted phone. Two notable transfers occurred in September and October of 2023, aligning with Ohtani’s last weeks with the Angels.
During their conversation, Mizuhara claimed the wires became a routine process, although later, he admitted to fabricating parts of his account.
Ohtani's performance in the Dodgers' victory against the Padres included an RBI single that contributed to a four-run eighth inning. Hours after the game, MLB sources indicated Ohtani had covered part of Mizuhara’s financial obligations. After a clubhouse meeting, Mizuhara apologized to the Dodgers, stating his debts stemmed from a gambling addiction. Reports suggested that Ohtani discovered funds missing from his account during the team’s return to the hotel, prompting him to engage his legal representatives to handle the situation.
By 2 p.m. ET, Ohtani’s attorneys released a statement revealing he had been a victim of significant theft, which was promptly escalated to law enforcement. Soon after, the Dodgers terminated Mizuhara's contract. Mizuhara later contacted Thompson to retract his earlier statements, asserting that Ohtani was unaware of the gambling debts and had not authorized any funds for the betting operation.
Despite earning approximately $300,000 annually from the Dodgers, Mizuhara required additional resources for his gambling activities, which led to significant stakes with Bowyer. Criminal complaints allege that Mizuhara placed various wagers exceeding $233,386 through his account.
On Tuesday, Bowyer expressed surprise at the depth of Mizuhara's initial comments during their call, emphasizing that Mizuhara’s interactions with Thompson were unexpected. Following Mizuhara’s arrest at Los Angeles International Airport on March 21, 2024, Ohtani publicly denied any involvement in sports betting at a press conference, claiming Mizuhara had stolen from him and misrepresented his understanding of the repayments.
Summarizing his feelings, Ohtani described himself as "beyond shocked," emphasizing that he never agreed to pay any debts connected to gambling.
Mizuhara is identified in legal documents as "Victim A" and provided information to investigators from the IRS Criminal Investigations team, including detailed text message records between him and Ohtani. This joint inquiry eventually led to Mizuhara's indictment on multiple charges, including bank fraud, with sentencing scheduled for February 2025.
Records indicate Mizuhara is due for release in January 2029 but may face deportation to Japan afterward. A sworn affidavit from Special Agent Chris Seymour supported the findings of banking fraud, ultimately casting doubt on Mizuhara’s previous claims regarding Ohtani's involvement.
Interest around the case continues to persist, particularly concerning whether Ohtani was aware of Mizuhara's financial situation prior to Opening Day 2024. As Ohtani solidifies his status as a historic player, he remains one of the select individuals in MLB history to achieve both 500 strikeouts as a pitcher and over 200 home runs as a batter. Bowyer expressed confidence that Ohtani did not place bets, reiterating the complexity of what Ohtani may have understood leading up to the incident.
"There are only two people in the world who know one million percent of the truth – and that’s Ippei and Shohei,” Bowyer stated.
