大谷の代理人、当局に捜査依頼　「巨額の窃盗被害」で、水原元通訳関与か―米大リーグ・ドジャース

　【ニューヨーク時事】米大リーグ、ドジャースの大谷翔平選手の通訳を務めてきた水原一平氏が違法賭博に関与したとされる問題に絡んで、大谷選手の代理人が、同選手が「巨額の窃盗被害」に遭ったとして当局に捜査を依頼した。２１日に米スポーツ専門局ＥＳＰＮが報じた。
　報道によると、水原氏は違法賭博の疑いで捜査中のブックメーカーと取引があり、ブックメーカー側には大谷選手の口座から少なくとも４５０万ドル（約６億８０００万円）が送金されていた。
　水原氏は大谷選手本人の賭博行為を否定。当初は水原氏の借金を大谷選手が肩代わりしたと説明していたが、その後証言を撤回し、大谷選手は賭博や借金について何も知らなかったと語った。
　水原氏は大谷選手がエンゼルスに移籍した２０１８年から公私にわたってサポートし、ドジャース移籍後も通訳を担当。ドジャースは２１日に水原氏を解雇したと発表した。（2024/03/22-12:08）

Representatives of Japanese two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani have contacted law enforcement authorities and asked them to investigate a "massive theft" of money from the Los Angeles Dodgers player, U.S. sports network ESPN reported Thursday.
   The network said the development was revealed by a source with direct knowledge of the matter, in connection with the alleged involvement of Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, in illegal gambling.
   According to the report, Mizuhara had transactions with a bookmaker who is under federal investigation for illegal gambling and at least 4.5 million dollars was wired to the bookmaker from Ohtani's bank account.
   Mizuhara told ESPN that Ohtani does not gamble. While Mizuhara initially told the network that Ohtani had transferred the funds to cover the former interpreter's gambling debts, he later retracted the remark and said that the two-way player had no knowledge of his gambling activities and debts.
   Mizuhara had been supporting Ohtani both in his public and private life since the baseball star moved from Japan to the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. He continued to serve as Ohtani's interpreter after the player moved to the Dodgers but the team announced Thursday that Mizuhara has been fired.