Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's rocky start off the field with his new team may soon come to an end.
The 29-year-old Japanese sensation is expected to be cleared by federal authorities in the gambling scandal involving his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, according to news outlet TMZ.
Federal investigators have reportedly concluded that Ohtani was not involved in any wrongdoing, has no association with gambling or bookmaking, and was a victim of fraud.
Authorities also aligned with Ohtani's prior claim that he was completely unaware of the gambling debt, and Mizuhara embezzled funds from one of the reigning American League Most Valuable Player's bank accounts without his knowledge.
Mizuhara is accused of stealing millions of dollars from the Dodgers star to settle debts and place bets with an illegal bookmaker in California. He admitted his gambling addiction shortly before the news broke out.
Ippei Mizuhara is negotiating a guilty plea
Meanwhile, Mizuhara, who the Dodgers promptly dismissed after the allegations became public, is reportedly negotiating a guilty plea for his actions, per Tim Arango and Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times.
Prosecutors have uncovered evidence suggesting that Mizuhara may have stolen more than the $4.5 million he was initially accused of taking.
Sources close to the matter also believe they have evidence suggesting that Mizuhara altered the settings on Ohtani's bank account to prevent the pitcher from receiving alerts and confirmations about the dubious transactions.
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