Ohtani interpreter

[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.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Yoda

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

+1

[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.

[pgellis]

If I had high value Ohtani cards, I’d be selling them today. Does not look good for Ohtani.

[jayshum]

I read that wire transfers to someone involved with illegal gambling would be a crime which could help explain why Ohtani's legal team doesn't want there to be an admitted connection between Ohtani and the wire transfers if Ohtani really did make them.

[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

[Yoda]

How do you short Otani cards?

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do you short Otani cards?

A pair of scissors.

[Snowman]

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade. I know and/or have met hundreds of degenerate gamblers over the course of my life. They all fit a particular profile, though there are various flavors of them. I'd wager some damn good money that Ohtani is not a degenerate gambler. It's far more likely that he bailed out his friend or that his friend had access to his accounts somehow than it is that he's a degenerate gambler looking to launder millions of dollars worth of bets through him.

[Metsfan0507]

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do you short Otani cards?

Borrow Ohtani cards from a friend, sell them, wait and hope you can buy them back later for cheaper to give them back to your friend

[bobbvc]

MLB- "Players, you are not allowed to bet on Baseball"
Also MLB- "Fans, bet on Baseball, (responsibly of course, lol), you don't want to let our sponsors down"
Me- Nothing to see here folks, all seems reasonable, move along.

[chalupacollects]

I mean what are the odds of this happening???

[Vintagedeputy]

I haven't been following this story much, but did I see something that the bets were actually Ohtani's?

[jetsetr1]

Every time read $4.5 mil, my mind thinks what cards I’d have bought lol

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by bobbvc

MLB- "Players, you are not allowed to bet on Baseball"
Also MLB- "Fans, bet on Baseball, (responsibly of course, lol), you don't want to let our sponsors down"
Me- Nothing to see here folks, all seems reasonable, move along.

100% agree, Manfred and MLB have dropped to their knees and grabbed the hips of corporate gambling.

No reason to keep Jackson and Rose out of the hall anymore.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

100% agree, Manfred and MLB have dropped to their knees and grabbed the hips of corporate gambling.



No reason to keep Jackson and Rose out of the hall anymore.

Yep. Or even more reason to stay firm and try to hold the higher ground. Things may get very messy soon.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[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!