Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani broke his silence Monday, adamantly denying involvement in any sports betting and revealing he was blindsided by his longtime interpreter’s alleged theft of $4.5 million to cover gambling debts. 😲 The two-way phenom called the scandal ‘heartbreaking,’ saying he only learned about the issue during a Dodgers team meeting in South Korea last week.
‘I’ve never bet on baseball or any sport,’ Ohtani said through a new translator, his calm demeanor contrasting the bombshell claims. ‘Ippei [Mizuhara] lied and stole from me.’ 🔥 The interpreter, fired last week, initially told ESPN Ohtani knowingly paid off his debts—a story Ohtani called ‘a complete lie.’
The MLB’s highest-paid star ($700M contract! 🤑) didn’t explain how Mizuhara accessed his accounts but vowed to cooperate with investigators. Dodgers leadership stood nearby, signaling support for their marquee player as the league probes the case.
Fans worldwide are split: Some call it a ‘TV drama-level betrayal’ 🍿, while others await more facts. One thing’s clear—this scandal just threw a wild curveball at baseball’s golden boy. ⚾💥
