The league has been under scrutiny for its response to the scandal enveloping its marquee star, who signed a $700 million deal with the Dodgers last off-season.
, which reported that the Dodgers had fired Mizuhara amid vague allegations of “massive theft” connected to payments to an illegal bookie. While Mizuhara insisted that the gambling debts were his, his story shifted as to whether Ohtani knew about them. MLB players and employees are barred from placing bets with illegal bookmakers.
Ohtani’s lawyers have said they were reporting the theft to the authorities. Though the lawyers did not specify the agency to which they made the report, the IRS confirmed Friday that its criminal field office in Los Angeles had opened an investigation involving the bookie, Mathew Bowyer, and Mizuhara.with the Dodgers last offseason, the vast majority of it deferred.
“Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhari from the news media,” the league statement said. “Earlier today, our Department of Investigations began their formal process investigating the matter.”
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