Ohtani - Gambling/Fraud

[Ope3]

again - IF we believe the new version of events from Ohtani, that does not explain how his translator was able to access Ohtani's financial accounts and make transfers totaling $4.5-million - without anyone noticing.

I get pop-up alerts on my phone whenever a new charge is made on my credit card - like the regular monthly charge for my Disney+ account. But Ohtani - and whoever is managing his money - has no idea that someone is making millions of dollars in transfers? that just doesn't seem plausible.

and - there is not an illegal bookie in the world that would let a customer run up that kind of debt. the customer would - at the least - not be allowed to place new bets until he paid off his tab.

The interpreter's resume was also a highly fabricated. Feels like the Spielberg/Catch Me If You Can type saga. Claimed to have attended UC-Riverside but didn't. Also said he worked for the Yankees and Red Sox, which has been debunked.

Shohei Ohtani Interpreter's Claims Of Attending UC Riverside Refuted

The resume of Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is under fire including the claim that he attended school at UC Riverside.

patch.com

Good one by the Angels and now Dodgers.

Bizarre.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I know Ohtani makes a butt-load of money - but you would think someone - a business manager, agent, someone would notice $4.5-million in fund transfers.

and I'm sorry - but if a friend of mine said "Hey, I just blew $4.5-million on gambling - can you cover my losses?", I would tell him to get lost.

every player in baseball knows - or should know - that you cannot be associated with illegal gambling.

so does MLB try to protect one of the biggest stars in the game.............? Do bears crap in the woods?

History is replete with athletes/entertainers who have been bilked by those on their inner circles.

KG and Billy Joel pop to mind; Billy’s brother in law stole half his income before it came to light.

again - IF we believe the new version of events from Ohtani, that does not explain how his translator was able to access Ohtani's financial accounts and make transfers totaling $4.5-million - without anyone noticing.

I get pop-up alerts on my phone whenever a new charge is made on my credit card - like the regular monthly charge for my Disney+ account. But Ohtani - and whoever is managing his money - has no idea that someone is making millions of dollars in transfers? that just doesn't seem plausible.

and - there is not an illegal bookie in the world that would let a customer run up that kind of debt. the customer would - at the least - not be allowed to place new bets until he paid off his tab.

---
to MPLS - every player in baseball - at every level - knows that the #1 rule is You Do Not Bet on Baseball. anyone stupid enough to violate that rule deserves to be kicked out of the game. Players are allowed to bet on other sports. so Ohtani could go to a Casino or sports book and bet on the NFL or NBA. But you cannot bet on baseball. and you cannot place bets of any kind with an illegal bookie. Rules are rules. you violate the rules and you face consequences.

With people who makes seven figures+, it’s not unusual for the support staff to have access to that information and to make purchases on their behalf. I knew a woman whose boss was a Senior Partner at a Wall Street firm and she managed/reconciled his AMEX bill which was $50K+/month; I saw a copy of it on her desk when we went to lunch, as when she told me about it previously, I questioned the veracity of it.

The more money you make, the more you delegate menial tasks to others, as time is your most valuable asset. You spend so much more time with your work than the normal 40hr a week person does, that delegating becomes a necessity as well.

Many athletes and entertainers aren’t the most sophisticated or educated either, as their frame of reference can be more or less limited to their vocation, especially when they’re younger.

It’s also been said that the interpreter was basically with him 24/7 and more or less functioned as his personal assistant as well.

 

[Ope3]

Willfully blind is not a defense.

I reserve the right to reverse course on the conclusion I am jumping to, but I have to think Ohtani placed some or a large part of the wagers.

I'm not sure what the Japanese translation is for "fall guy".

As this has gone on, I have indeed reversed course on Ohtani's involvement with the betting. Up to $16 million now and a staggering $40 million in loses.

Prosecutors Say Ippei Mizuhara Stole $16 Million From Shohei Ohtani. Here’s What We Know.

On Thursday, authorities released a document detailing their investigation into Ohtani’s former translator. The findings shed new light on the gambling scandal that has engulfed MLB.

www.theringer.com

It does feel like a Hollywood melodrama script.