Ex-Angels IF bet with same illegal bookmaker as Ohtani's interpreter

David Fletcher. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Ex-teammate of Shohei Ohtani placed bets with same illegal bookmaker as interpreter

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated May 17, 2024 9:56 PM ET

Just as the noise of the scandal involving the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara and bets made through an illegal bookmaker had begun to quiet, a new development has emerged linking the Los Angeles Dodgers star to the drama.

According to Tisha Thompson of ESPN, former Los Angeles Angels infielder David Fletcher placed wagers through the same bookmaking operation as Mizuhara, which Mathew Bowyer allegedly ran. Now playing for the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate, Gwinnett, Fletcher was teammates with Ohtani for six seasons in L.A.

David Fletcher, a former Los Angeles Angels infielder currently with the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate, bet on sports with the same Southern California bookmaker who took wagers from Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter, according to multiple sources detailing the…
— Tisha Thompson (@TishaESPN) May 18, 2024

Fletcher reportedly never placed bets on baseball. However, his friend and former Kansas City Royals farmhand, Colby Shultz, did, including wagers on Angels games while Fletcher and Ohtani played for the team.

Meanwhile, as Thompson noted, Fletcher has previously admitted to meeting Bowyer and being present at a poker game in 2021 where Mizuhara has claimed to have met the bookie for the first time.

In March, allegations surfaced that Mizuhara had stolen more than $4.5 million from Ohtani to pay off a gambling debt with Bowyer. Initially, Mizuhara said the Dodgers star had loaned him the money in an interview with ESPN. Yet, the situation quickly changed after Ohtani claimed inconsistencies in his former best friend's story, later accusing him of theft.

With Mizuhara reportedly preparing to plead guilty to federal crimes, there remains no tangible evidence of any wrongdoing by Ohtani. However, the latest news is bound to ramp up chatter surrounding the topic and provide fodder for pundits and conspiracy theorists alike.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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