"I also carried their check books" - Former interpreter weighs in on Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara gambling saga amid theft allegations
Shohei Ohtani addressed the media on Monday, where he denied his involvement in the betting allegations and also said that his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was lying and stealing money from his account.
However, that doesn't add up a lot, according to fans, who feel that how could he not know when someone was stealing from his account? That leads to the question about how involved interpreters are in an athlete's life.
Daniel Kim, ESPN's KBO insider, took to X to answer the question. Kim, who has worked as an interpreter, said that the role involves helping their clients in every aspect of their life.
"When I worked as an interpreter, I had to assist the players on just about every aspect of their daily lives.
"These include: opening bank accounts, taking them to DMV to get licenses, and setting up utilities. I also carried their check books on the road for clubhouse dues," Kim tweeted.
It clarifies why Ohtani was shorthanded and couldn't have known when Mizuhara allegedly stole money from his account.
Shohei Ohtani's representatives maintain silence on theft allegations
Following the unearthing of Ippei Mizahura's gambling activity, Berk Brettler LLP, which represents Shohei Ohtani, issued a statement that they the Dodgers star was a victim of "massive theft." They also added that they have handed over the matter to the authorities.
“In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities,” Berk Brettler LLP said in a statement. [via the Athletic].
However, when publications reached out to attorneys for comment on which authorities they had handed the matter to, the representatives declined to comment. According to ESPN, no local, state or federal authorities have reported any theft allegations made by Ohtani's attorneys.
IRS spokesperson Scott Villiard confirmed to ESPN that the agency is investigating Mizuhara and bookmaker Matthew Bowyer with the Department of Homeland Security. But they declined to comment on whether they had heard from Shohei Ohtani's representatives about a potential theft.
It's not yet known whether a case has been made of a theft allegation, as nothing can be inferred at the moment.