As begins his first season with the amid a fog of gambling allegations involving his interpreter, perhaps the most important question surrounding Ohtani is whether he faces any legal exposure in the case. Ohtani said he never placed bets and denied having any knowledge of his interpreter’s wagering activity. But the interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has given conflicting statements, raising questions about whether Ohtani might have committed a crime.
Richman, a former federal prosecutor with the U.S. Southern District of New York, said that any potential federal charges related to money laundering would not apply. The money involved in the underlying specified illegal activity, he said, must come from a felony state gambling offense. Placing an illegal bet with an illegal bookmaker, as is the case of betting in California, does not fit that description because it is a misdemeanor.