Money allegedly stolen from Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was reportedly funneled through casinos. Mizuhara allegedly stole more than $16 million from Ohtani through a series of $500,000 wire transfers to pay off debts to an illegal bookmaker. According to ESPN, these payments were sent to California and Las Vegas casinos, where they were deposited into gambling, or “marker”, accounts. The money would then be converted into playing chips before being cashed out and paid to the bookmaker named Matthew Boyer. Mizuhara, 39, would transfer his losses to Boyer’s associate, who would move the money to casinos like the Pechanga Resort Casino in California. According to ESPN sources, Boyer was a regular customer at the Las Vegas casino, Resorts World, where this operation would also take place. Mizuhara allegedly placed 19,000 wagers between December 2021 and January 2024, averaging 25 a day, and had a net loss of over $40 million. When the scandal broke in March 2024, Mizuhara allegedly sent a message to his bookmaker saying, “I did technically steal from him”.