Ex-interpreter’s past under fire amid Ohtani mess
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter might have bet years ago that nobody would fact check his MLB staff biography. If so, he was wrong. Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s best friend and now fired English-Japanese translator, allegedly stole $4.5 million from the Dodgers superstar to cover his own gambling losses. With so many unanswered questions in this scandal — namely, did Ohtani knowingly pay the illegal bookmaker to cover his friend’s debts, as Mizuhara first claimed before he was accused of stealing? — Mizhuara’s mysterious past is under scrutiny for discrepancies.
Mizuhara’s biography with the Angels — with whom he worked as Ohtani’s interpreter from 2018-23 — claims that he graduated from the University of California-Riverside in 2007. But, as first reported by NBC Los Angeles, there is no corroborating record in the university database.
“Our university records do not show a student by the name of Ippei Mizuhara having attended UC Riverside,” a spokesman told The Athletic.
The school did not respond to The Athletic’s inquiry as to whether Mizuhara could have attended under a different name or a similar name.
The trail of questions surrounding Mizuhara, who has not yet been charged with any crimes, also stems to his alleged past MLB experience, as the interpreter for former pitcher Hideki Okajima. Multiple news reports cite that Mizuhara worked with Okajima for the Red Sox in 2010. The Red Sox dispute that claim, and it is unclear where it began because Boston’s media guide from that season lists two other interpreters for Okajima.
“We are reaching out to all of you because of reports in various outlets stating that Ippei Mizuhara worked for the Red Sox as an interpreter, which is incorrect,” the Red Sox said in a statement released to multiple media members, per The Athletic.
“Mizuhara was never employed by the Boston Red Sox in any capacity and was not an interpreter for Hideki Okajima during the pitcher’s time with the team. Please know that we have thoroughly checked our files to ensure we are providing accurate information.”