A new six-episode ESPN 30 for 30 podcast released on July 28, 2026, presents exclusive recordings and prosecutorial evidence detailing how former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole $17 million from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
Investigative reporter Tisha Thompson produced the series after interviewing key figures in the federal probe, including U. S.
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attorneys, IRS agents, bookie Mathew Bowyer, and Mizuhara himself prior to his termination by the Dodgers in March 2024.
Court records and investigative findings featured in the series show Mizuhara placed phone calls to Ohtani's bank 24 times while impersonating the baseball star to approve fraudulent wire transfers to cover illegal sports gambling debts.
Key Evidence and Financial Misconduct
Federal law enforcement reviewed nearly 40,000 text messages between Ohtani and Mizuhara, finding zero references to sports betting.
Investigators confirmed that Ohtani's financial advisors were repeatedly told by Mizuhara that Ohtani requested the specific bank account remain private.
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The podcast documents additional financial misconduct, including an incident in September 2023 where Mizuhara accepted a $60,000 check from Ohtani for dental work, deposited it into his own account, and subsequently paid the dentist using Ohtani's debit card.
Investigative files also revealed Mizuhara purchased approximately $325,000 in high-end collectible baseball cards using Ohtani's funds, shipping the packages directly to the Dodgers clubhouse under the alias Jay Min in an effort to convert stolen cash into portable assets.
Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing $17 million from Ohtani.
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Bowyer received a sentence of 12 months and one day for his role in the operation.
