Ohtani interpreter

[Fred]

Bold prediction - the interpreter is covering for Ohtani.

Could you imagine if Ohtani, I mean his interpreter, bet on baseball?

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Fred

Bold prediction - the interpreter is covering for Ohtani.

Could you imagine if Ohtani, I mean his interpreter, bet on baseball?

Will love to see what MLB will do if it is found that it was Ohtani gambling. More info I am sure will come out over time.

How will they handle their $700 million man

[packs]

I've read all the updated articles and I'm still trying to understand where a theft occurred. If Ohtani wired payments to cover losses for his friend, that is not theft. If Ohtani didn't authorize the wires and they were made by the interpreter himself, that would be theft but I don't see anyone accusing him of doing that.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by packs

I've read all the updated articles and I'm still trying to understand where a theft occurred. If Ohtani wired payments to cover losses for his friend, that is not theft. If Ohtani didn't authorize the wires and they were made by the interpreter himself, that would be theft but I don't see anyone accusing him of doing that.

From what I've read and seen discussed on ESPN, the initial reporting was that Ohtani's interpreter said that Ohtani sent 2 wire transfers of $500,000 each to pay for gambling debts of the interpreter. After that, something unknown changed to the story becoming reporting of massive theft. Also, there was mention of other wire transfers having been made and a total amount owed of $4.5 million.

It sounds like maybe the interpreter had access to Ohtani's account and could have been the one who made the wire transfers without Ohtani knowing about them. If so, that would clearly be theft. We'll have to wait and see as more information comes out if this is what happened or if something else is going on.

[oldjudge]

My first thought was that perhaps the translator was placing bets for Ohtani. I sure hope that does not turn out to be the case.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

My first thought was that perhaps the translator was placing bets for Ohtani. I sure hope that does not turn out to be the case.

That was my first thought as well.

[packs]

Originally Posted by jayshum

From what I've read and seen discussed on ESPN, the initial reporting was that Ohtani's interpreter said that Ohtani sent 2 wire transfers of $500,000 each to pay for gambling debts of the interpreter. After that, something unknown changed to the story becoming reporting of massive theft. Also, there was mention of other wire transfers having been made and a total amount owed of $4.5 million.

It sounds like maybe the interpreter had access to Ohtani's account and could have been the one who made the wire transfers without Ohtani knowing about them. If so, that would clearly be theft. We'll have to wait and see as more information comes out if this is what happened or if something else is going on.

I process wire transfers for my employer. There is only one way for someone to process a transfer on your behalf without you knowing it. You'd first have to authorize that person as an account signer and authorize that person for ACH and wire transfers. You'd also have to provide that person with their own login to your account (if processing online), provide them with your own personal login information, or authorize the bank to contact the person only on their authorized phone number (to confirm via phone). Otherwise, the bank will call the authorized number on the account to confirm, and they won't be calling you, who is trying to make the wire under the radar. They'd call the account holder who would not authorize the transfer.

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

[StraightRaceCards]

Goes to show, pick your friends wisely people!

[Yoda]

Shinpai nai des. Boku wa nihongo hanashimas. Otanisan wa watakshi no tomodashi des.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by packs

I process wire transfers for my employer. There is only one way for someone to process a transfer on your behalf without you knowing it. You'd first have to authorize that person as an account signer and authorize that person for ACH and wire transfers. You'd also have to provide that person with their own login to your account (if processing online), provide them with your own personal login information, or authorize the bank to contact the person only on their authorized phone number (to confirm via phone). Otherwise, the bank will call the authorized number on the account to confirm, and they won't be calling you, who is trying to make the wire under the radar. They'd call the account holder who would not authorize the transfer.

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

So you're saying it would be possible for the interpreter to be making the transfers without Ohtani knowing about them but not easy. If the guy owed that much money, it may have been worth it to him to find a way to be able to do it. Apparently, Ohtani trusted him so maybe he abused that trust to find a way. I guess we'll see as more information comes out.

[packs]

Originally Posted by jayshum

So you're saying it would be possible for the interpreter to be making the transfers without Ohtani knowing about them but not easy. If the guy owed that much money, it may have been worth it to him to find a way to be able to do it. Apparently, Ohtani trusted him so maybe he abused that trust to find a way. I guess we'll see as more information comes out.

It is possible, yes, but not without Ohtani giving him the kind of authority you would a money manager or a power of attorney. It would be highly unusual for someone to give a friend that kind of access to their finances if they weren't managing money for them professionally.

Without willingly giving him that kind of authority over his finances, the only other way for someone to make a transfer without involving the account holder is to impersonate them. But we all have our own accounts and we know that you would also need unrestricted access to personal devices (cell phone) or e-mail accounts in addition to a login to retrieve the verification security codes.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by packs

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

I agree with everything you say.

While Mizuhara is generally described as "the interpreter" and they began as friends, I could very much see his actual job as being more of a personal assistant, in which case having access to all of that info is a very real possibility, especially because of the trust developed thru the friendship.

BUT, the amounts involved would QUICKLY raise red flags to the business management overseeing the accounts.

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

While Mizuhara is generally described as "the interpreter" and they began as friends, I could very much see his actual job as being more of a personal assistant, in which case having access to all of that info is a very real possibility, especially because of the trust developed thru the friendship.

BUT, the amounts involved would QUICKLY raise red flags to the business management overseeing the accounts.

That's basically what Daniel Kim said during the second game on ESPN. He mentioned that he had been an interpreter for a while with a MLB player, and the job involved being very much of a "personal assistant". If the player went out, had to open a bank account, was buying a home.....whatever; he (Kim) was there to help guide the player through the process.

Another thing I wonder is.....now that Mizuhara has been fired from his job as Shohei's interpreter, what if any, ties does he still have in the USA? His entire existence was to serve as Shohei's assistant/interpreter. Now that he no longer has his job, will he even come back to the USA? And if not, how will that affect any investigation into what happened?

Steve

[GoCubsGo32]

Originally Posted by jayshum

From what I've read and seen discussed on ESPN, the initial reporting was that Ohtani's interpreter said that Ohtani sent 2 wire transfers of $500,000 each to pay for gambling debts of the interpreter. After that, something unknown changed to the story becoming reporting of massive theft. Also, there was mention of other wire transfers having been made and a total amount owed of $4.5 million.

It sounds like maybe the interpreter had access to Ohtani's account and could have been the one who made the wire transfers without Ohtani knowing about them. If so, that would clearly be theft. We'll have to wait and see as more information comes out if this is what happened or if something else is going on.

..yikes!

[Aug06]

Originally Posted by packs

I've read all the updated articles and I'm still trying to understand where a theft occurred. If Ohtani wired payments to cover losses for his friend, that is not theft. If Ohtani didn't authorize the wires and they were made by the interpreter himself, that would be theft but I don't see anyone accusing him of doing that.

Ok. thats what i was thinking also but am so confused on everything i am hearing. At this point you probably cant believe a lot of whats being released to the public, but i'm sure over time the fog over this will become much more clear.

[BCauley]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Will love to see what MLB will do if it is found that it was Ohtani gambling. More info I am sure will come out over time.

How will they handle their $700 million man

You'd probably see Joe Jackson and Pete Rose reinstated immediately.

[Trublubrucru]

There is no way a bookie would give him millions in credit without being assured that it was backed by big dollars. Doesn't pass the smell test. Shotime might do time

[Beercan collector]

He’s too important to the league .
Probably get the same treatment that big-time gamblers Fred Flintstone and Michael Jordan got - love forever

[Trublubrucru]

Shohei is not an American citizen, he is here on a visa that can get revoked for illegal behavior. Another entanglement to ponder

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Trublubrucru

Shohei is not an American citizen, he is here on a visa that can get revoked for illegal behavior. Another entanglement to ponder

He's tall enough to cross the Rio Grande.

[packs]

I think it's best to realistic. Hardly anyone gets in any kind of legal trouble for placing bets. Pete Rose didn't do any time for placing bets. Neither did any of the Black Sox players after throwing the World Series.

Ohtani is not at risk of having his Visa revoked or going to jail. The worst case scenario for him is a lengthy suspension. Baseball rules dictate that a player caught placing a bet on a game he did not participate in can face a ban of one year, which is also the penalty for placing a bet with an illegal bookmaker (which is what Ohtani would entangled in if he bet). A player caught placing a bet on a game they did participate in can be banned for life.