THE BETRAYAL OF SHOHEI OHTANI Episode 2: The Interview

Summary

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Murder at The U: The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani

Episode 2: The Interview

Release Date: July 28, 2026
Host: Tisha Thompson (ESPN)
Theme: An exclusive interview with Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, brings shocking new revelations and twists to the Ohtani gambling scandal—and triggers a cascade of conflicting stories, high-profile denials, and the crumbling of trust between two men who seemed closer than brothers.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson’s interview with Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's long-time interpreter and confidant. In a story already full of intrigue regarding illegal sports bets and millions in wire transfers, the interview—conducted in Seoul on the eve of Ohtani’s Dodgers debut—quickly becomes the fulcrum for an evolving scandal. Over the course of the episode, the narrative shifts dramatically—not just in facts, but in loyalties, perceptions, and the very meaning of "betrayal."

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Black Swan Event (00:06–02:31)

• Thompson frames March 19, 2024, as her investigative “black swan”—an unpredictable, seismic shift in the story after five months of reporting.
• She recounts seeing millions in wire transfers from Ohtani’s account to an illegal bookmaker, and that Ohtani’s team claims Mizuhara was responsible due to gambling debts.

Notable Quote:

“March 19, 2024, was my black swan, because the story we had been working on for five months would suddenly change over the next 24 hours, twisting and turning in ways I could never have expected.” (A, 00:13)

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2. The Interview Setup (02:31–04:54)

• Thompson establishes this as the only interview Mizuhara gave on the story, conducted hours before Ohtani's Dodgers debut in Seoul.
• The interview aims to clarify how Mizuhara and Ohtani’s money became enmeshed with Matt Boyer’s illicit sportsbook.

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3. Ippei’s Story: Meeting the Bookie and Falling into Debt (05:01–10:56)

• Mizuhara explains he met Matt Boyer through a poker game, then began using Boyer’s sportsbook, not realizing it was illegal.
• He admits to getting a credit line (common with illegal books), betting mostly on non-baseball sports, and rapidly accumulating debt in the millions.

Notable Quotes:

“I thought it was legal this whole time ... I was pretty shocked to hear that.” (C, 05:45)
"He had a credit line set up for me." (C, 06:10)

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4. The Motive: Keeping Up with Ohtani’s Lifestyle (07:57–10:56)

• Mizuhara claims his motivation stemmed from financial and lifestyle pressure as Ohtani’s confidant and staff.
• He was embarrassed to ask for help; gambling (with extended credit) felt like a way out, but only deepened the crisis.

Notable Quote:

"I couldn't share this with Shohei, but ... it was hard for me to make like my ends meet. I was kind of going paycheck to paycheck because I kind of had to keep up with his lifestyle." (C, 07:57)

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5. The Escalation: Amount Lost and Shohei’s Involvement (13:07–18:10)

• Mizuhara confirms losing at least $4.5 million (sources suggest possibly up to $16 million).
• He describes the moment he confessed his debts to Ohtani, who agreed to pay off the debts in wire transfers after initial anger and disappointment.

Notable Quotes:

"I would say that is pretty accurate." (C, 14:08, on the $4.5 million estimate)
"He’s best friends. We are like brothers." (C, 16:27)

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6. The Mechanics: How the Wires Worked (21:02–24:36)

• Mizuhara states he provided Boyer’s wire information to Ohtani, that Ohtani sent the money with him present.
• Wire memos were labeled as “loans,” allegedly at the bookie’s request.

Notable Quotes:

"He was with me, falls with him on this laptop or computer, and I guess he could log in online banking and send a wire." (C, 22:17)
"We had to add a description for the wire ... I think Matt might have told me to just put loan..." (C, 24:29)

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7. Interrogation & Emotional Fallout (25:15–30:59)

• Thompson questions the plausibility of their legal/myopic ignorance, probing for real awareness of risk.
• Mizuhara consistently insists neither he nor Ohtani knew the operation was illegal.
• Emotional toll revealed: Mizuhara felt shame, guilt, and ongoing psychological weight; he claims to be committed to repaying Ohtani.

Notable Quotes:

"It’s always in the back of my mind. It’s haunting me every day." (C, 29:52)

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8. The “Fall Guy” Question (31:43–34:51)

• Thompson presses Mizuhara about perceptions that he is protecting Ohtani or taking the fall for him.
• Mizuhara adamantly denies Ohtani’s involvement in gambling, reiterates it was solely his debt and actions.

Notable Quotes:

"It was all me. And that’s 100% truth. And all Shohei did was pay it all for me." (C, 33:00)
"There is absolutely no cover up. Okay. At all." (C, 34:51)

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9. The Final Minutes: Reversal and Collapse (41:31–44:42)

• After the interview but before ESPN's story is published, Ohtani’s spokesperson Matt Hiltzik calls:
  “Ippei lied.” Ohtani’s camp claims he was unaware of the transfers and is the victim of massive theft.
• In a follow-up call (not recorded), Mizuhara admits to Thompson he lied during the interview; Ohtani did not know. Mizuhara says he never told Ohtani, never got permission, and offers no further comment.

Notable Quotes:

“Did Shohei know the funds were being transferred? No. Did you tell Shohei about the gambling debts and wiring the money? No.” (A, 44:00 summary of Mizuhara's post-interview clarifications)
"Ippei, I say, did you lie to me last night in some of your statements? Yes." (A, 44:00)

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10. Fallout & Open Questions (45:00–47:18)

• Mizuhara is fired; MLB and the Dodgers issue statements.
• The episode ends with open questions: Was Ohtani truly unaware, or being protected? Was this friendship real, or simply an exploitation of trust?
• Montage of voices underscores the betrayal at the heart of the story.

Notable Quotes:

"Either Shohei was betrayed by his best friend, or he threw his best friend under the bus." (A, 46:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I would put my life on the line. He’s never placed any sports bets ever in his life.” — Ippei Mizuhara (C, 19:07)
• “There is absolutely no cover up. Okay. At all.” — Ippei Mizuhara (C, 34:51)
• “Ippei lied.” — Matt Hiltzik, Ohtani’s spokesperson, in a frantic call to Tisha Thompson (A, 42:02)
• “Did Shohei know the funds were being transferred? No.” — Ippei Mizuhara (A, 44:00, post-interview correction)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:06–02:31 — Thompson recounts the investigative “black swan” moment and setup.
• 05:01–07:01 — Mizuhara admits meeting the bookie, confirms using illegal credit.
• 07:57–10:56 — Mizuhara describes financial/lifestyle pressures that led him to gamble.
• 13:07–16:42 — Confession of the scale of debt; emotional first approach to Ohtani for help.
• 18:10–22:35 — Step-by-step breakdown of how wires were sent from Ohtani’s account.
• 25:15–30:59 — Mizuhara discusses guilt, shame, and his commitment to pay back Ohtani.
• 31:59–34:51 — Confronting the “fall guy” argument, denials of Ohtani involvement.
• 41:31–44:42 — The narrative dramatically reverses as Ohtani’s team denies all prior story details.
• 45:00–47:18 — Fallout, Mizuhara fired, and deep questions of trust remain unanswered.

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Episode Impact & Takeaways

• The episode exposes the whiplash-inducing speed at which scandal narratives can shift at the highest levels of sports, and the personal devastation those twists bring.
• By episode’s end, listeners are left questioning every assertion made—by Mizuhara, Ohtani, and the institutions aligned with them.
• The fundamental theme emerges: trust, once broken or manipulated, taints not just careers but friendships long considered unshakeable.

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Summary Produced In the Style and Language of ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts

Transcript

[A]

Economists and bettors talk about something called the black swan. An event or a series of events that's so rare, so unpredictable, no one would bet on it. Happening March 19, 2024 was my black swan, because the story we had been working on for five months would suddenly change over the next 24 hours, twisting and turning in ways I could never have expected, and for reasons I'm still trying to understand. I had seen wire transfers that showed a bank account in Shohei Ohtani's name had wired millions to an illegal bookmaking operation. And Shohei's spokesperson confirmed it. But he told me that Shohei wasn't the one gambling. He says it was his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Shohei was just paying off Ippei's debts. And now Shohei's team has offered me an interview with someone they said would clear this all up.

[B]

All right, I am. This is Tisha Thompson. I am recording this call. Go ahead and tell me who you are, and do I have permission to record you?

[C]

Yes, I'm Ipe Me Zohara. And you do have permission to record me.

[A]

I've never talked to Ippei before, but I instantly recognize his voice. It's the voice of Shohei Ohtani. Whenever Shohei talks to reporters in Japanese, it's Ippei who translates his words into English. I've been warned by ESPN's baseball reporters that Ippei doesn't say much. I'm not sure he'll give me anything more than a prepared statement, and I don't know how much time I'll get with him. But I've been investigating this story for five months, and I have a lot of questions about how Shohei and his money got tied up in all of this, what Ippei's role was. And I wonder if what Ippei tells me will hold up to my line of questioning. I reach Ippei in South Korea. He's in Seoul with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are set to play the San Diego Padres in just a few hours. It's the opening game of the MLB season.

[B]

All right. What I would like to do is have you tell me your story in your words.

[C]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[A]

Shohei Ohtani is about to play his first regular season game in a Dodgers jersey, and he will deliver. He'll get his first hit, his first steal, his first RBI for the Dodgers. But that will not be the top headline tomorrow, because his interpreter is about to steal the show.

[C]

Here's the pitch to Ohtani. Shohei Ohtani.

[A]

I'm ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson. From 30 for 30 podcasts, this is the betrayal of Shohei Ohtani. Episode two, the interview.

[B]

Hi, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Are you looking for a beach read this summer? May I suggest your big wireless bill? It's got suspense, mystery, a slightly flat emotional arc, and a shocking twist where you realize you've been overpaying the entire time. Fortunately, though, Mint's story is better. Every plan, $15 a month.

[C]

Even unlimited.

[B]

That's it. Happy ending, zero tears. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment

[A]

of $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for a 12 month plan. Required $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees. Extra initial plan term only greater than 50 gigabytes. Me slow when network is busy. You know when you're locked in, focused and fearless.

[B]

Welcome to the wnba.

[A]

Your vision narrows. You can't look away. Every assist, every stop, every logo. Three from beyond the logo, every did you see that moment?

[C]

You been.

[A]

What records are going to be broken this season? All of it right here.

[C]

Lock in.

[A]

It's the WNBA on ESPN all season long. I'm the only reporter Ippei ever spoke to about this story. It's now been more than two years since we had this call, and every time I listen to it, I hear it differently when the interview starts. My first goal is to get an understanding of how the bookie at the center of this story, Matt Boyer, came into the picture. By now I've confirmed that Boyer is under federal investigation. And the wire transfers I saw, the ones with Shohei's name on them went to Boyer's operation.

[B]

So what I'm going to do is start at what I think is the beginning. Can you tell me how you met Matt Boyer?

[C]

Yes. So I met him at a local poker game. He knew I was interpreter, so he kind of approached me saying like, he's like a fan.

[B]

Okay. Did he tell you what he did for a living?

[C]

He told me that he has a sports book.

[A]

A sports book is just a place that takes sports bets. It can be a brick and mortar building or an app or a website. Ippe tells me he'd bet in Las Vegas sportsbooks in the past and he was betting once in a while on DraftKings. He says he didn't realize that Boyer's sportsbook was different, that it was illegal.

[C]

I thought it was legal this whole time. Okay. And once I found out that there was a federal investigation going, which was two, three days ago, that's when I first found out. And I was pretty shocked to hear that.

[B]

So when you started your account, did you have to give like a credit card or put some cash in or anything like that?

[C]

No, he had a credit line set up for me.

[A]

Ippe is telling me that when he logged on to his account with Boyer, there was already credit there for him to use. A legal sports book will never give gamblers credit up front. That's one of the main draws for any legal sports book. No money down.

[B]

Did that raise a red flag for you?

[C]

Unfortunately, it didn't at the time. Okay,

[B]

what did you bet on? What were you betting on?

[C]

Oh, I bet on. I bet on some football, basketball, Soccer, not baseball. I never been on baseball, overseas, domestic, anything. That's 100. Because I knew that. I knew that rule.

[B]

You did. And that rule being? Which rule?

[C]

Which rule not to bet on baseball.

[B]

Who told you that?

[C]

We have like a meeting about that in spring training.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Pretty much saying going bet on baseball ever. But it was okay to bet on other sports other than baseball.

[B]

With my understanding this tracks with Major

[A]

League Baseball's rules on sports betting. Players and team employees can bet on sports, but they may not bet on baseball and they cannot use a bookie.

[B]

Did anyone ever tell you that you couldn't use a bookmaker?

[C]

I don't fully recall, but Ippe says

[A]

once he met the bookie, he began to rack up millions of dollars in debt.

[B]

Why were you doing this? What was it doing for you?

[C]

Okay. Okay. So at the time, I couldn't share this with Johe, but it was hard for me to make like my ends meet. I was kind of going paycheck to paycheck because I kind of had to keep up with his lifestyle. But at the same time, I didn't want to tell him this. Obviously it ended up being the worst case scenario. I didn't want to go to help, I didn't want to go to him for help financially, stuff like that. So I was just trying to make ends meet on my side and okay, I was in debt a little bit and stuff with my parents and some friends. And the time that start gambling, the fact that he said he's going to give me some credit. I felt like I had a chance to kind of Mexico money back and just call lowered into the worst situation.

[A]

I'm wondering if this response might be rehearsed. It feels like a clean answer that just came pouring out of Ippe in one go. Before this, the most we had ever heard him speak was when he interpreted shohei's words, he rarely ever spoke about himself.

[B]

I'm curious. You were talking about how, you know, you couldn't keep up with Shohei's lifestyle, and you didn't tell him that, but you. You couldn't do it. How much do you make each year?

[C]

At the time, I was making about $85,000 a year.

[B]

This is 2021ish.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Okay. Did you start to make more than that over the next couple of months or years?

[C]

Well, now with the Dodgers, I am making more money. And last year with the Angels, they gave me a pretty good raise.

[B]

Okay. I have been told you make roughly $300,000.

[C]

Is this going to go out on the story?

[B]

I've had someone tell me it's 300,000. If that is incorrect, I want to know.

[C]

Okay. Well, my new deal with the Dodgers is a little bit more than that.

[B]

Okay. Is it more than $500,000?

[C]

No.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Back in 2021, with his $85,000 a year salary, Ippei says it was tough to make ends meet. So when Boyer Sportsbook offered him credit, he says it seemed like a chance to make some money.

[B]

So did it go bad quickly or did you win some money?

[C]

I never cast out. I'm terrible. I'm never. I'm never going to do it ever again. I never want any money from there, really. And I just kept on losing, and I just kept on digging a deeper hole and just couldn't get out of it.

[B]

Did you tell anyone?

[C]

No, I did not.

[B]

Why?

[C]

Mainly, it was just embarrassing.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, my wife doesn't even know about any of this until even right now.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

I mean, she's with us in Korea right now, and she's, like, having a great time with, like, family, and my heart's just, like, ripping apart every minute, like.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And she, she noticed that I'm, like, weird acting weird and just kind of like, call her right now. It's gonna ruin the whole trip. And. Oh.

[A]

Ippei pauses, and another voice jumps into the conversation. His name is Matt Hiltzik. He's Shohei Ohtani's spokesperson. And he's been listening in on this call the whole time. When he up here, he tells Ippei, we're all here for you and we're all going to help you. He says, we care about you as a person. As he continues to reassure Ippei, I wonder if he is talking to Ippei or if this speech is actually meant for me. Because the spokesperson was hired to protect Shohei, and Shohei's reputation. He doesn't represent Ippei or Ipei's interests. He tells Ippei, we just want the truth. When he stops talking, I take my cue to continue.

[B]

How much do you estimate you lost overall with Boyer's operation?

[C]

That's one thing that I would like to keep disclosed as possible. I think it was really embarrassing. If amount gets out, and if possible, I would like to keep it disclosed.

[A]

I had seen the wires showing that Shohei Ohtani's bank account had sent money to the bookie's operation. Multiple sources have told me at least $4.5 million left Shohei's account. But I've heard it could be a lot more, maybe as much as $16 million.

[B]

I have sourcing that says that Boyer's operation was paid at least $4.5 million. What is your response to that?

[C]

I would say that is pretty accurate. Okay.

[B]

Is it more than.

[C]

I don't think so. Okay.

[B]

For people who have never been in this place, how do you get to four and a half million dollars? Is it because you keep hoping, for instance, that the next bet is going to bail you out? Or, you know, for someone who doesn't know what it's like, how do you get to four and a half million?

[C]

I just. I mean, I just. I mean, I dug myself a hole and kept on getting bigger and. Which meant I had to bet bigger to get out of it and just kept on losing. It's like a snowball effect.

[B]

How did you start paying him back?

[C]

So that's when I had to go to Shohei for help.

[A]

Ippei is about to explain why the money was coming from Shohei's bank account, even though Ippei is the one gambling. By 2023, IPPEI had racked up millions of dollars in debt. And to pay off those debts, he says he goes to Shohei.

[B]

How did that go down?

[C]

Well, I explained my situation, what's going on, and why I'm in this much of a debt. And obviously, I mean, he wasn't happy about it, but he said he would help me out, make sure, like, I never do this again. That's pretty much what happened. And he decided to pay it off for me.

[B]

Did he offer? Did you ask?

[C]

I asked.

[B]

How do you ask someone? I mean, it's been characterized to me that the two of you are best friends, that you were as close as brothers, you know, like, how would you characterize your relationship with him?

[C]

He's best friends. We are like brothers. I mean, we're with each other. Every day.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Spend more time with him than my wife, probably.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. So, I mean, he is like a family to me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Ippei and Shohei were always around each other. There seemed to be a genuine closeness between them. Tim saw it, others did, too. And now Ippei says they really are that close.

[B]

Was it hard to come to him, or was it easy because you are close?

[C]

Extremely hard.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I didn't want. Like, that was the last thing I wanted to. I mean, initially, I didn't want to go to him about making my ends meet. And this was on another level, so it was really, really difficult.

[B]

Were you frightened?

[C]

Yes.

[B]

In that moment when you went to him, what were you afraid of?

[C]

Afraid that. I mean, a lot of things. I mean, you know, trust that we built up. Afraid that might go away, he might think of me differently, stuff like that.

[B]

Were you afraid for your safety or anything like that?

[C]

Safety?

[B]

Mm.

[C]

I mean, yeah, I was, but I was, because I was in that much debt. I didn't know, like, someone's gonna, like, come to my house one day. Yeah, I had those kind of thoughts, too.

[A]

I'm intrigued by Ippei's response. His initial fear is what his debt will do to his relationship with Shohei. But when I bring up his safety, he says, yes, he was afraid. But he's told me he thought this was a legal sports book, so why would he be afraid? Legal sportsbooks don't come knocking at your door to collect their debts.

[B]

So I would like to get into the specifics of what Shohei offered you. When you told him you were in trouble. You said you asked him for help. Did you ask him for money?

[C]

I asked him if he could pay my debt off. He had to give us some thoughts.

[B]

Had he ever gambled himself, as far

[C]

as you're aware, ever? I can guarantee I'll put my life on the line. He's never placed any sports bets ever in his life.

[A]

Ippei says Shohei would even talk about how much he disliked gambling.

[C]

He thinks gambling is terrible and obviously he doesn't need the money.

[B]

How do you know he thinks gambling is terrible?

[C]

He sees that, like, people like our teammates would be gambling all the time, and he'll be like, why are they doing this? Like, gambling is not good.

[B]

When he would make comments like that, how would that make you feel internally?

[C]

Oh, terrible.

[B]

Yeah. So that makes it even harder to go to him, I would imagine.

[C]

Yeah. Feels very hard to go to him.

[B]

You said he went to go. Think about it. So what does he come back to you with, like, walk me through that conversation.

[C]

So the next time I see him, he says, all right, I'm just going to pay the follow up for you. Make sure, like, you won't ever get into this again. I mean, I was. I was basically, he. It was pretty, like, short and simple.

[B]

Did you discuss how to pay it off?

[C]

He asked me me how, like, what do I need to do? And I got in the wire information. For if it's Boyer's account.

[B]

Did you reach out to Boyer to get it?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

I'm getting really granular here because I want to know exactly, step by step, what the process was that led to those wire transfers. If what Ippei's saying is true, what role did Shohei play in sending money to an illegal bookie?

[B]

So did you send him a text message? Was it an email? Did he send it to you? Did you, like, how does this work?

[C]

He texts. I think he texted me his buyer info.

[B]

So you. You turn around and. And say to Shohei, here's the wire transfer information. Do you show it to him on your phone? Do you text it to him? Do you do it for him? Like, how do. How does that go?

[C]

I did it on his behalf.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Supervision.

[B]

So do you have access to his bank account?

[C]

No, I don't.

[B]

Okay, so when you say you did it on his behalf, explain to me how that works.

[C]

He was with me, falls with him on this laptop or computer, and I guess he could log in online banking and send a wire.

[A]

Ebay says Shohei knew about the wires. He says that they sent them together. My adrenaline is pumping. If that's true, he's just put Shohei's fingerprints on the transaction. It wasn't just that the money was coming from Shohei's account. Ippei says Shohei was involved by telling me this, by admitting this, he's directly implicating Shohei in sending millions to an illegal bookmaking operation that's under investigation for money laundering. I'm wondering, does Ippei realize what he just said? When an investigative reporter reaches out about a story that connects a celebrity to potential scandal, it usually kicks off a careful PR response. But here is Ippei possibly implicating Shohei in something that could jeopardize his career. Was this the plan? Is he going off script? Has my line of questioning forced him to reveal something he didn't mean to? Because the spokesperson doesn't intervene. So I keep going.

[B]

What was his understanding of who Boyer was? Did he know that Matt was a bookie?

[C]

I don't think he had any clue who he was or what he did. I just told him that this is the guy that I need to send a wire to pay off the debt.

[B]

He didn't say, have you done anything illegal or anything like that?

[C]

No, I don't think he questioned me about that.

[B]

One of the things that we know about the transfers is that it says loan on them. And I'm curious why it says loan.

[C]

We had to add a description for the wire.

[B]

Mm.

[C]

I think Matt might have told me to just put loan or you had to put something there.

[A]

If you wire a real loan to someone, you don't pay income taxes on it. But if you lie about it and it's not actually a loan, you're potentially committing tax fraud.

[B]

I would be interested in seeing any kind of text messages or communications from Matt.

[C]

I deleted every text I had with Matt.

[A]

Up until this point. I've let Ippei tell me his story. In his words. I haven't really pushed back on what he says for a reason. I wanted to see where he would go with it. But now I need to challenge some of what he's told me.

[B]

So. And forgive me for this, Ippei, this is a lot of money. You tell him you're in trouble. You know, it's for gambling. You really didn't sit there and think about whether this is legal or not?

[C]

Me, myself, Yeah, I never. That. Never really crossed my mind ever that this was, like, illegal at all until a couple days ago when I found out that there's an investigation going on. Okay.

[B]

Did you think at any point, by asking Shohei to pay your debt that he would potentially be committing, he would be putting himself, frankly, in the situation we're in right now, where there would be questions about legality.

[C]

I don't think either of us didn't think about that at the time at all.

[B]

Do you have the kind of relationship where he does things without questioning it?

[A]

The spokesperson jumps in here. He says to Ippei, he wasn't happy with you, right?

[C]

No. Yeah, he was definitely not happy.

[A]

Ippei tells me Boyer wanted the money in a lump sum, but they could only send the wires in $500,000 installments. He says he and Shohei sent about eight or nine payments over the course of several months in 2023. That matches what my sources have told me.

[B]

After you tell him about your situation and he begins to make these payments on your behalf, did it or how did it change your relationship with him?

[C]

Honestly, to be. To be honest, in the beginning I felt really uncomfortable. It was hard to, like, see him. But the nice guy that, I mean, he's a great guy, and he just pretty much. He went on his life like nothing ever happened.

[A]

Shohei going on with his life in 2023, equated to hitting 44 home runs and earning the MVP award in the American League. And now Ippei is telling me that all that time, he and Shohei found the time to sit down together and secretly wire millions of dollars to Boyer's.

[C]

I felt like maybe like after a few weeks, a month, I really can't take back to where I was before. I mean, for me, I felt really uncomfortable for the first, like, few weeks and, like, really, really guilty and felt terrible. But he kind of helped that go away.

[B]

But you had to keep making these payments.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Did you have to keep having this conversation?

[C]

But he knew the whole amount, and he knew that we had to make several payments because you can't send more than 500,000 at a time. So it wasn't like I. It wasn't like I asked him every week, like, oh, sorry, this came up again. It wasn't like that.

[B]

How was it?

[C]

I told, like in the beginning when I told him, like, this is how much I'm in debt, and that was the whole amount. But he knew that he had to pay that whole amount off for me. It was going to be an increment.

[B]

So would you go to him and remind him? Would he just do it of his own volition?

[C]

No, I would do it within every time.

[B]

And it just became normal. It wasn't awkward like it was in the beginning. Is that what you're saying? Yes,

[C]

for me, I mean, it was so. That was every time.

[B]

You're right. But he didn't make a big deal out of it?

[C]

No. Yeah.

[B]

How did you feel about that? Explain to me how that made you feel.

[C]

I mean, very appreciative, obviously, but same time. So it's really, really, like a super guilt trip. Like, really guilty, terrible. And I mean, ever since that day, like, I, I. It's always in the back of my mind. It's haunting me every day. I always think about it, like it's always there in my head, and I don't know if it'll ever go away.

[B]

Did you offer to ever pay him back? Or was this, you know, I'm gonna pay this and we're cool? Or did you say, let me try to pay some of this back?

[C]

No, I'm gonna pay him back. I told him I'm paying back. Might Take a while. But I told him, even, even if he says no or anything, I'm gonna make all the effort to pay him back.

[B]

What's really important to me is that I understand correctly about why Shohei would pay an illegal bookmaker directly from his bank account and call it a loan, rather than just giving money to Uepay to pay off your debts.

[C]

We didn't know that this is illegal, first of all. That's very important. And he didn't want me to give the money to me, and he didn't want me to try to gamble it off again. So he wanted to make sure it's going back to the debt.

[A]

Like my source had predicted. Ippei is taking the blame. He says he was the gambler and he asked Shohei to pay off his debts. But there's a critical question that I've been building to here, which is simply, why should I believe you, Ippei?

[B]

One of the things that's been said to me is that Ohtani owes lawyer money. And I want to understand why it would be characterized that way.

[C]

To me, I would have no idea why anyone would say that his name

[B]

is on the bank statements, his name's on the wires. I mean, there's gonna be. There's gonna be people wondering, is it Ohtani who did it? And you're taking the fall for him. So I want to give you a chance to respond to that.

[A]

The spokesperson jumps in before Ippei can say anything. He tells me, Ippei has already answered the question that he spent the last hour sharing his story. But I push back.

[B]

No, I know, but I want to give you pay a chance to respond to that criticism. You know, I'm anticipating, oh, he's just taking the fall for Ohtani. So what would you say to someone who would accuse you of that?

[C]

So I never ever met. That Boyer, never talked to him. So there would be no way that. So they could have, I mean, been doing this on his own or anything. And it was all me. And that's 100% truth. And all Shohei did was pay it all for me. And there's like, not much more than that.

[B]

So was there any kind of conversation between the two of you that like, his name is now going to be on these wire transfers. He's now connect. You see where I'm getting, like he's connected to this now his name, you know, whether it's legal or not, his name is now connected to someone that you owe money to, and he's going to get pulled into this now, was there. Was there really no conversation like, oh, now your name's attached to this?

[C]

There really wasn't because like I said earlier, we got noticed it was illegal because it was 100% legal. Didn't really think about anything with troubles with his name being involved in this. Obviously if I knew this was illegal, then I would never show his name into any of this.

[A]

This is when the spokesperson interjects again, this time telling me there's no cover up. I never said the word cover up. But the spokesperson doubles down saying, if people say this is just a cover up, it's the worst cover up in history.

[B]

Like you're denying there's any kind of COVID up here.

[C]

There is absolutely no cover up. Okay. At all.

[B]

What was your gut level, fundamental reaction when you learned that Matt was under investigation?

[C]

I was just scared more than anything. I still am at this moment, but that's about it.

[B]

What are you scared about at this moment?

[C]

Well, when the story goes out, the reactions to the story is what I'm afraid of.

[B]

That's what you're afraid of? The media, not necessarily the federal investigators or something like that?

[C]

Well, I'm not too sure what's going on with like the whole federal investigation thing. I just know that there is an investigation. I don't know any more details.

[B]

Has anyone reached out to you from the federal government?

[C]

Nope, never.

[B]

Has anyone reached out to Shohei about these bank transfers from the federal government?

[C]

No, not that I'm aware of. And she would tell me if someone did.

[A]

We've now been talking for about 80 minutes and the spokesperson is interrupting more and more. I can feel that my time is running out and I'm worried he's going to try to end the interview.

[B]

I'm getting very close to the end, guys, because I know you're watching the clock. Just bear with me. I'm going through my notes.

[C]

I can. Oh, sorry. I can go?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I have time tomorrow to talk or tonight after the game.

[A]

Ippe thinks we're going to have the chance to talk again. He and I seem to have a very different understanding of the gravity of what he's told me. I think he's going to be fired. He may be in even more trouble. I don't know. Either way, I don't think they're ever going to let me talk to him again.

[B]

What have I not asked you that you think is really important that people understand that you want folks to know?

[C]

I obviously I want everyone to know that. So they had zero involvement in the vetting. Want to make that clear. And I want people to know that I did not know this was illegal.

[B]

Mm.

[C]

And obviously, I'm learning my lesson in a very hard way. And I take it to the heart. I take it to my heart. And I will never, ever do sports betting ever again.

[B]

Never do sports betting. Are you prepared to face the consequences if baseball. And when I say baseball, I mean the Dodgers or Major League Baseball decides to take action?

[C]

Yes, I'm fully prepared to face any and all consequences.

[A]

After I hang up with Ippei, I begin to type out my story. Ippei Mizahara says he lost millions of dollars in bets with an illegal bookmaker. And his best friend, Shohei Ohtani, someone he says he is closer to than a brother, offered to pay off his debts. At least that's what the article was going to say.

[C]

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[C]

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[A]

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[C]

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And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner and protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com or just stop by. A few hours after I get off the phone with Ippe, the opening day game of the 2024 MLB season gets underway.

[C]

So please welcome to the field the staff coaches and reserves for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

[A]

The Dodgers versus the Padres, the two American team teams are at Go Chuck Skydome in Seoul, South Korea.

[C]

Little morning baseball back in the United States. Evening here in Seoul.

[A]

I'm watching the game on my laptop while I work on my story. All eyes are on Shohei.

[C]

Coming second. The designated hitter, number 17, Shohei OT.

[A]

But at this moment, I don't really care about what's happening on the field. I'm waiting for the cameras to cut away to the dugout. Waiting, watching for Ippei. What does he look like? Is he tired? Because I'm exhausted. I never went to bed. And it's now six o' clock in the morning on the East Coast. Will he look stressed? Will Shohei be able to look him in the eye? Because Ippei's made a mess. And now Shohei and his people are gonna have to go clean it up.

[C]

And here is Sh Otani. For the first time in a Los Angeles star uniform.

[A]

Ippei has just confessed to an ESPN reporter that he racked up millions of dollars of debt betting on sports and that he and Shohei sent money to an illegal bookmaking operation. In just a couple of hours, we're planning to publish my article that will reveal both of these things to the world. But instead of looking like two men who are in trouble and whose relationship I would think would be under considerable stress, they're laughing. Standing next to each other in the dugout, watching the game. Shohei and Ippei are laughing together. Very little surprises me these days, but that the two of them laughing. I was stunned.

[C]

Rally late, and the Dodgers were.

[A]

The Dodgers beat the Padres 5 2. As the team walks off the field into the locker room, we're in the final stages of putting our story together. But less than 15 minutes before we're set to publish, I get a call from Shohei's spokesperson, Matt Hiltzik. When I pick up, he shouts into the phone, ippe lied. Matt Hiltzik is freaking out in a way I've never before experienced in my career.

[C]

He.

[A]

He's frantic, telling me that Shohei just now learned about the transfers from his account. Just now in the locker room, he says Shohei had no idea Ippei was using his money to pay off the debts and that the whole thing was a lie. He says he's still trying to figure out what happened and hangs up. Not long after, I get a statement from Ohtani's lawyers. It says, 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. I call Ippei. I don't record it. Everything is moving too fast. I read him the statement and he confirms it, but won't say anything more. Ippei, I say, did you lie to me last night in some of your statements? Yes. I'm worried he'll hang up and I need clear answers, so I jump into a set of yes or no questions. Did Shohei transfer funds to the bookmaking operation? No. Did Shohei know the funds were being transferred? No. Did you tell Shohei about the gambling debts and wiring the money? No. Did you offer to pay him back? Yes. When? As soon as I can, I ask. Today or in the past? Ippei says I told him today and the past. I'd been told by Shohei's team that he only learned just now that Ippei took his money. But Ippei saying he had offered to pay it back in the past. So I start to ask him, when did Shohei learn his money was missing? But Ippei interrupts me. They told me I can't answer anything. Who is they? He doesn't answer, Is it Ohtani's people? He doesn't answer. I ask him if he's being paid or getting any kind of deal to say this. He says, no, he's doing it of his own free will. Are you employed with the Dodgers? He tells me he's not sure. Then I ask, did you lie to Shohei? Ippei says yes. Throughout the call, I can hear a voice talking, I think, to him. I can't tell if it's a man or a woman. I don't know if it was his wife, Shohei's agent, or someone else. When I ask, are you being accused of stealing or embezzling from Shohei? Ippei interrupts, I was also told I can't comment on that part. I ask, have you told your family? He says, I don't want to talk about my family. We hang up. I call my editors. As we drop these new quotes into the story, I text Ippei with one final question. Did you take the money from Shohei's accounts without his knowledge? Ippei never responds.

[C]

The Dodgers have fired the interpreter for Shohei Ohtani. Misuhara allegedly placed wagers with an illegal sports book in California, accused of racking up millions of dollars in illegal gambling debts, and claims Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts or transfers. It's certainly not the good look now

[A]

that Ohtani would like.

[C]

The scandal now rocking the sport. So how in the world does someone just transfer four and a half million dollars of his money and he has no idea of it?

[A]

Why did the story change so drastically? My sources first told me Shohei's bank account was sending money to a bookie. But then Ippei said he was the one gambling. Shohei was just helping him pay his debts. And now it's changed again. It was all Ippei. Ippei placed the bets and somehow accessed Shohei's bank account to pay off the bookie. And Shohei knew nothing about it. Who really is Ippei? Pei? Says he and Shohei were closer than brothers, always together. And so in this moment, people were asking, is it really possible that Shohei didn't know what was going on?

[B]

You know where your money's at?

[C]

I know where my money's at. That's all I can say.

[A]

Either Shohei was betrayed by his best friend, or he threw his best friend under the bus this season on the Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani.

[B]

Everyone wants every little bit of Shohei Ohtani and Ippei was part of him. Part of the Shohei Ohtani deal was Ippei.

[C]

I was shocked to see this person bet over 19,000 sports events.

[A]

I mean, even if I wanted to,

[C]

I couldn't do that many bets.

[A]

I was pissed.

[B]

Definitely a manipulation from the get go.

[C]

It painted a really shocking picture of one person abusing the trust of another person. Ohtani on the run. Ball one down and Ohtani has another stolen base.

[A]

The betrayal of Shohei Ohtani is based on reporting by me, Tisha Thompson, with support from Tim Kewan and the ESPN Investigative Unit. Our producer is Carrie Ann Thomas. Our senior producer is Max Green. Our senior editorial producer is Preeti Varathan. Our associate producer is Gus Navarro. Story editing by Audrey Quinn, Elaine Tang, Eric Neal and Mike Drago. Additional editing by Rebecca Hudson. Our archival producer is Jennifer Wheelock. Our line producer is Kathryn Sanke. Production managers are Jason Schwartz and Sheena Williams. Fact checking by John massterberradino with David Sabino. Additional editorial review from Masa Niwa. Original music by Alison Layton Brown and John delor. Sound design by John delore. Chris Buckle is vice president of ESPN investigative enterprise and digital journalism. Marcia Cook, Brian Lockhart, Heather Anderson and Burke Magnus are executive producers for 30 for 30. David Roberts, Mike Foss and Roxanna Scott are executive producers for ESPN.