- Ohtani rep goes on record W/ESPN stating Ohtani transferred $4.5MM himself to bookmaker on behalf of Ippei.
- Spokesperson for Ohtani delivers Ippei to ESPN for statement. Ippei says Ohtani NEVER bet & felt bad for him & paid off his debt so he’d never do it again.
-Spokesperson for Ohtani says Ippei is lying after he gives his 90 minute statement to ESPN.
-Ohtani’s lawyers claim “massive theft”.
-Ippei then says Ohtani had zero knowledge of his debt or his gambling habit in general.
Either this guy has zero idea over who is managing his finances, he gave money to Ippei in hopes of covering the debt because he is his friend, or Ippei is acting as a fall guy for Ohtani.