ESPN released a new six-episode podcast series on July 28, 2026, featuring previously unheard audio from former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
The podcast, titled "The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani," is hosted by investigative reporter Tisha Thompson.
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It centers around an extensive March 2024 interview conducted hours before Mizuhara was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers for stealing millions from the baseball star.
Mizuhara was sentenced last February to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing $17 million from Ohtani to cover massive sports betting debts.
Federal law enforcement and Major League Baseball have fully cleared Ohtani of any wrongdoing.
Mizuhara's Defense of Ohtani
During the recorded interview, Mizuhara explicitly defended the two-time Most Valuable Player, insisting that Ohtani never participated in sports betting or authorized money transfers to illegal bookmaker Matthew Bowyer.
"My heart's ripping apart every minute," said Mizuhara.
The podcast details how Mizuhara initially claimed Ohtani agreed to pay off his gambling debts, a statement he recanted hours later after admitting he lied to reporters and Ohtani's team.
"Never," said Mizuhara when asked if Ohtani ever placed bets.
Court documents reveal Mizuhara placed over 19,000 wagers without ever betting on baseball.
Federal investigators confirmed through thousands of reviewed messages that no communication regarding sports gambling existed between Ohtani and Mizuhara.
"I can guarantee – I'll put my life on the line – that he's never placed any sports bets ever in his life," said Mizuhara.
