Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter and close friend was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers team following allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star.

The interpreter Ebi Mizuhara, 39 years old, was dismissed from the team yesterday, Wednesday, after reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged connections with an illegal betting company. The team is in Seoul, South Korea, this week where Ohtani is making his first appearance with the Dodgers, and Mizuhara was in the Los Angeles clubhouse during their season-opening win.

Mizuhara was seen regularly talking with Ohtani, who was the designated hitter for the Dodgers, and appeared to be discussing his bats via a tablet.

Berk Brettler LLP law firm said in a statement yesterday, Wednesday: "In the context of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei was a victim of significant theft and we are referring the matter to the authorities."

Sports gambling is illegal in California, although 38 states and the District of Columbia allow some forms of it.

Mizuhara is a familiar face to baseball fans as Ohtani’s constant companion, translating for him with the media and in other appearances since Ohtani came to the United States in 2017. He even acted as Ohtani’s catcher during the Home Run Derby in the 2021 All-Star Game. When Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels team to sign a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December, the club also hired Mizuhara.

The Dodgers team said in a statement that they "are aware of media reports and are gathering information."

The statement said, "The team can confirm that the interpreter Ebi Mizuhara’s services have been terminated." "The team has no further comment at this time."

Mizuhara told the media that his bets were on international soccer, the NFL, the American Football Association, and college football. MLB rules prohibit players and team staff from betting— even legally—on baseball and also prohibit betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.

Mizuhara said in a press statement, "I never bet on baseball." "That is 100 percent true. I knew this rule... We had a meeting about it during spring training."