Japanese star Ohtani Shohei has spoken up about the scandal everyone else in baseball is speaking about. He has kept quiet since his former interpreter was accused of illegal gambling and “massive theft.” But now, he's shared his side of the story.
Ohtani held a news conference at the Los Angeles Dodgers stadium to address the allegations that surfaced last week around his camp. U.S. media reported Mizuhara Ippei had amassed debts with an illegal bookmaker of 4.5 million dollars. The team fired him, and Ohtani's lawyers are accusing him of wiring money from Ohtani's bank account.
Ohtani says he didn't know about the debt nor about Mizuhara's gambling addiction until Mizuhara spoke last week to the team.
He says it's “really hard” to verbalize how he is feeling right now. But he says he's saddened and shocked that someone he trusted has done this.
◆allegation 疑惑、（十分な証拠のない）申し立て
◆amass debt （多額の）借金を抱え込む
◆verbalize （考えや感情などを）言葉で表現する、言語化する