On March 24, 2024, the shocking news about Dodgers baseball player Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter made its way to social media. The news was that Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, took 4.5 million dollars from his bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts. 

Mizuhara, who has worked with Ohtani since 2017, had become a fan favorite for his close friendship with the baseball player and his constant presence. However, shortly after Ohtani moved to the Dodgers, Mizuhara was fired after allegations of gambling and “massive theft. When news broke, Mizuhara said that Ohtani did know about the money being transferred from his account, but a day later, he stated that the player was unaware. Furthermore, other lies Mizuhara had told came to light such as his claim that he graduated from UCR. Days later, Ohtani did a press conference where he said that he had no idea about this. This news has people taking sides with fans debating all over social media if Ohtani is innocent or guilty.