A new ESPN podcast titled "The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani" details how former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar.
Investigative reporter Tisha Thompson released the six-episode 30 for 30 podcast on July 28.
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It features exclusive interviews with prosecutors, federal agents, bookie Mathew Bowyer, and the only recorded conversation Mizuhara gave to the media before his scheme collapsed.
How the Theft Unfolded
Investigations revealed Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani 24 times on phone calls with bank officials to access a private account.
He also stole $60,000 for dental work Ohtani offered to pay for, depositing the check while using Ohtani's debit card to settle the bill directly.
Mizuhara bought approximately $325,000 worth of sports trading cards using stolen funds, shipping them to the Dodgers clubhouse under the alias "Jay Min" to convert the money into assets.
Federal court records indicate Mizuhara accumulated over $40 million in gambling debt with Bowyer, who admitted to using Ohtani's name to promote his bookmaking operation to dozens of clients.
During an interview with Thompson in March 2024, Mizuhara initially claimed Ohtani knew about his debts and helped pay them off directly.
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"His interpreter did it, and he never notices," said Thompson.
Shortly after the interview, Mizuhara retracted his statement inside the Dodgers clubhouse and confessed in encrypted messages that he had stolen from Ohtani.
Federal agents reviewed nearly 40,000 text messages between Ohtani and Mizuhara, finding no mention of gambling.
The investigative team discovered Ohtani's isolation contributed to the crime, as his financial team accepted assertions from Mizuhara that Ohtani desired privacy regarding the affected bank account.
Mizuhara is currently serving a 57-month sentence in federal prison, while Bowyer was sentenced to 12 months and one day.
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Ohtani stated through a spokesperson that he will no longer comment publicly on the matter.
