|
Post by BearClause on Mar 23, 2024 12:53:34 GMT -5
Do you think there's any possibility that the gambling debts were actually Ohtani's and Mizuhara is covering for him? Yes. Not only do I think that's possible, I think it's the most likely explanation for what happened. The IRS issued statements to the media that Mizuhara and the bookie (Bowyer) are the ones under investigation. They probably have all the communications. I suppose it could be revealed that Mizuhara was just the go-between for Ohtani, but right now that would only be speculation.
|
|
|
Post by AmeriCanvbdad on Mar 23, 2024 12:57:38 GMT -5
Yes. Not only do I think that's possible, I think it's the most likely explanation for what happened. The IRS issued statements to the media that Mizuhara and the bookie (Bowyer) are the ones under investigation. They probably have all the communications. I suppose it could be revealed that Mizuhara was just the go-between for Ohtani, but right now that would only be speculation. I believe that is the speculation that some of us are going with. It will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals.
|
|
|
Post by bbg95 on Mar 23, 2024 13:07:34 GMT -5
The IRS issued statements to the media that Mizuhara and the bookie (Bowyer) are the ones under investigation. They probably have all the communications. I suppose it could be revealed that Mizuhara was just the go-between for Ohtani, but right now that would only be speculation. I believe that is the speculation that some of us are going with. It will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals. Correct.
|
|
|
Post by bbg95 on Mar 23, 2024 15:07:36 GMT -5
The reason I think it's most likely that these were Ohtani's debts is that both the original story and the new story are pretty hard to believe. And the fact that they changed the story so quickly, creating even more questions...well, I think Cardi B sums this up as well as anyone else can:
|
|
|
Post by volleyguy on Mar 23, 2024 15:19:50 GMT -5
If Shohei is a degenerate gambler, his deferred contract situation makes more sense now. Why? The Dodgers weren't structuring their contract on his gambling habits.
|
|
|
Post by BearClause on Mar 23, 2024 15:56:58 GMT -5
The reason I think it's most likely that these were Ohtani's debts is that both the original story and the new story are pretty hard to believe. And the fact that they changed the story so quickly, creating even more questions...well, I think Cardi B sums this up as well as anyone else can: My first impression is that it's unlikely that Ohtani placed the bets. Absolutely nobody in a position to know (besides just a hunch) has claimed that he made any bets or was interested in gambling on sports. I think more likely would be that Mizuhara made those bets with the bookie's belief that his rich friend (Ohtani) might be able to bail him out on his debts. But then there's the issue of whether or not Ohtani might have knowingly helped to cover those losses by wiring money to the bookie, or if Mizuhara had access to his accounts and did it surreptitiously. Knowingly paying off the bookie might place Ohtani in legal trouble as an accessory to a crime. One possibility is that it did happen like that, but Mizuhara then changed his story to protect Ohtani. Either way, Mizuhara is in legal trouble since he's admitted to illegal betting. Here's one take:
|
|
|
Post by BearClause on Mar 23, 2024 15:59:47 GMT -5
If Shohei is a degenerate gambler, his deferred contract situation makes more sense now. Why? The Dodgers weren't structuring their contract on his gambling habits. Besides that, Ohtani has the highest income from endorsements in MLB. Even at $2 million a year upfront, but deferred, he's got plenty of income from his endorsements, which are reportedly over $50 million a year. I doubt that those are in a way that could be deferred.
|
|
|
Post by mikegarrison on Mar 23, 2024 16:21:37 GMT -5
One thing I don't understand is why Ohtani would give *anyone* the right to release millions of dollars from his bank accounts. I find it hard to fathom that he would just give a friend that kind of access. Doesn't he have accountants or personal finance managers or somebody like that watching his accounts for him? (Sure, I don't have anybody like that myself, but I'm also not making $50-$100M/year, either.)
|
|
|
Post by volleyguy on Mar 23, 2024 16:25:20 GMT -5
Why? The Dodgers weren't structuring their contract on his gambling habits. Besides that, Ohtani has the highest income from endorsements in MLB. Even at $2 million a year upfront, but deferred, he's got plenty of income from his endorsements, which are reportedly over $50 million a year. I doubt that those are in a way that could be deferred. It seems unlikely that Ohtahni had outstanding debts that he was unable to pay (If he made bets and lost, he could have simply paid them). It makes more sense that the interpreter accumulated more debt than he could afford, and had to be bailed out.
|
|
|
Post by bbg95 on Mar 23, 2024 17:07:36 GMT -5
One thing I don't understand is why Ohtani would give *anyone* the right to release millions of dollars from his bank accounts. I find it hard to fathom that he would just give a friend that kind of access. Doesn't he have accountants or personal finance managers or somebody like that watching his accounts for him? (Sure, I don't have anybody like that myself, but I'm also not making $50-$100M/year, either.) Right. I think usually when there's embezzlement, it's the accountant or money manager or maybe a family member. The idea that an interpreter/personal assistant would have the ability to wire millions of dollars from Ohtani's account to an illegal bookie just strains credulity to the breaking point. I also think it's a bit suspicious that Shohei was apparently paying this guy as much as $500K a year. I think he could get someone to be his interpreter and assistant for a lot less than that (like $100K a year would get plenty of applicants). Which makes me think he's the designated fall guy, as Cris Carter once said.
|
|
|
Post by oldnewbie on Mar 23, 2024 17:34:45 GMT -5
One thing I don't understand is why Ohtani would give *anyone* the right to release millions of dollars from his bank accounts. I find it hard to fathom that he would just give a friend that kind of access. Doesn't he have accountants or personal finance managers or somebody like that watching his accounts for him? (Sure, I don't have anybody like that myself, but I'm also not making $50-$100M/year, either.) Right. I think usually when there's embezzlement, it's the accountant or money manager or maybe a family member. The idea that an interpreter/personal assistant would have the ability to wire millions of dollars from Ohtani's account to an illegal bookie just strains credulity to the breaking point. ESPN claims to have brought this story to light and has a complete timline. Shohei Ohtani, his interpreter and wire transfers: A timeline
Ultimately, the claim now is that Mizuhara was introduced to Bowyer at a poker game in San Diego in 2021. Mizuhara says he started betting with Bowyer on credit shortly after they met, placing wagers on several sports -- but not baseball. Mizuhara's debt ballooned to $4 million by early 2023, he tells ESPN, and that's when he says he went to Ohtani for help. "I just told him I need to send a wire to pay off the debt," Mizuhara says. "He didn't ask if it was illegal, didn't question me about that." Mizuhara says that, after Ohtani agreed to pay the debts, the two of them logged into Ohtani's bank account on Ohtani's computer and sent eight or nine transactions, each at $500,000, over several months. They added "loan" to the description field in the transactions. ESPN contacted Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, with allegations that Ohtani's name was on two wire transfers to a bookie. Balelo went to Mizuhara, who came clean and said they were his debts and Ohtani was bailing him out. Ohtani's spokesman then told ESPN not to publish the story, that Ohtani was not informed of any of it. Ohtani's spokesman then made a public statement that Ohtani was the victim of a massive theft. Dodgers fire Mizuhara ESPN reaches Mizuhara, who walks back much of what he said, and says he was lying. Ohtani spokesman then says Mizuhara has been able to control information to Ohtani in his position as the interpreter, and that Ohtani hadn't realized what was happening until the postgame clubhouse meeting, when a new interpreter was brought in. "He didn't know any of it, didn't know there was some inquiry," the spokesman says. "After the game (Wednesday), that's when he found out. ... He didn't know what the f--- was going on."
|
|
|
Post by BearClause on Mar 23, 2024 18:34:34 GMT -5
Besides that, Ohtani has the highest income from endorsements in MLB. Even at $2 million a year upfront, but deferred, he's got plenty of income from his endorsements, which are reportedly over $50 million a year. I doubt that those are in a way that could be deferred. It seems unlikely that Ohtahni had outstanding debts that he was unable to pay (If he made bets and lost, he could have simply paid them). It makes more sense that the interpreter accumulated more debt than he could afford, and had to be bailed out. There are stories of athletes and celebrities who were extended credit at legal casinos and racked up huge accumulated losses. I heard that about some NHL players. Then there was Celine Dion’s husband, who had lots in losses. Her residency at Caesar’s Palace was reportedly extended to help pay for his losses and also to persuade them to give more time to pay them off. Might have just been rumor though.
|
|
|
Post by BearClause on Mar 23, 2024 18:43:39 GMT -5
One thing I don't understand is why Ohtani would give *anyone* the right to release millions of dollars from his bank accounts. I find it hard to fathom that he would just give a friend that kind of access. Doesn't he have accountants or personal finance managers or somebody like that watching his accounts for him? (Sure, I don't have anybody like that myself, but I'm also not making $50-$100M/year, either.) Right. I think usually when there's embezzlement, it's the accountant or money manager or maybe a family member. The idea that an interpreter/personal assistant would have the ability to wire millions of dollars from Ohtani's account to an illegal bookie just strains credulity to the breaking point. I also think it's a bit suspicious that Shohei was apparently paying this guy as much as $500K a year. I think he could get someone to be his interpreter and assistant for a lot less than that (like $100K a year would get plenty of applicants). Which makes me think he's the designated fall guy, as Cris Carter once said. I've been given access to a family member's bank accounts when they were on vacation in a country where accessing those accounts via internet was iffy at best. I suppose I could have caused a bit of damage if so inclined, but obviously I'm not one to cheat a relative. As for how much he was paid, I guess it was from the team as a courtesy to their best player and where he was expected to travel with Ohtani year round. But it was also where he might have been able to dictate the pay.
|
|
|
Post by BearClause on Mar 24, 2024 17:21:40 GMT -5
Right. I think usually when there's embezzlement, it's the accountant or money manager or maybe a family member. The idea that an interpreter/personal assistant would have the ability to wire millions of dollars from Ohtani's account to an illegal bookie just strains credulity to the breaking point. ESPN claims to have brought this story to light and has a complete timline. Shohei Ohtani, his interpreter and wire transfers: A timeline
Ultimately, the claim now is that Mizuhara was introduced to Bowyer at a poker game in San Diego in 2021. Mizuhara says he started betting with Bowyer on credit shortly after they met, placing wagers on several sports -- but not baseball. Mizuhara's debt ballooned to $4 million by early 2023, he tells ESPN, and that's when he says he went to Ohtani for help. "I just told him I need to send a wire to pay off the debt," Mizuhara says. "He didn't ask if it was illegal, didn't question me about that." Mizuhara says that, after Ohtani agreed to pay the debts, the two of them logged into Ohtani's bank account on Ohtani's computer and sent eight or nine transactions, each at $500,000, over several months. They added "loan" to the description field in the transactions. ESPN contacted Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, with allegations that Ohtani's name was on two wire transfers to a bookie. Balelo went to Mizuhara, who came clean and said they were his debts and Ohtani was bailing him out. Ohtani's spokesman then told ESPN not to publish the story, that Ohtani was not informed of any of it. Ohtani's spokesman then made a public statement that Ohtani was the victim of a massive theft. Dodgers fire Mizuhara ESPN reaches Mizuhara, who walks back much of what he said, and says he was lying. Ohtani spokesman then says Mizuhara has been able to control information to Ohtani in his position as the interpreter, and that Ohtani hadn't realized what was happening until the postgame clubhouse meeting, when a new interpreter was brought in. "He didn't know any of it, didn't know there was some inquiry," the spokesman says. "After the game (Wednesday), that's when he found out. ... He didn't know what the f--- was going on." My suspicion is that Ohtani probably did bail out his interpreter (and friend). But then his people realized how much exposure that it would mean (accessory to a crime) that they came up with the story that Mizuhara did it without his permission and Mizuhara went along with it to protect Ohtani.
|
|
|
Post by volleyguy on Mar 24, 2024 18:05:38 GMT -5
I suspect that's true. Paying off his interpreter's debt wouldn't necessarily be a crime, or would at least require his knowledge that the debt was illegal in order to successfully prosecute, but those circumstances wouldn't necessarily shield Ohtani from MLB sanctions.
|
|