Casino Resorts Allegedly Connected to Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani's Stolen Cash
Stolen money from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani ended up at Resorts World Las Vegas casino and a tribal gaming property in California, as per a report by ESPN.
The purloined funds were transferred into gambling accounts at the two establishments, the recent report stated. Once the chips were cashed, the money made its way to California-based bookmaker Mathew Bowyer or his associate, according to ESPN.
Tribal gaming property Pechanga Resort Casino in California was also part of the scheme, the report disclosed.
The involvement of these casinos came to surface after ex-translator Ippei Mizuhara, who is accused of stealing $16M from Ohtani's bank account to settle sizable gambling debts, was unmasked.
Mizuhara is currently facing bank fraud charges. His mounting debts are estimated to be $40.7M, authorities have disclosed. He often paid his bookie $500K, money that later went to the two casinos before being transformed into chips.
Ohtani is perceived as an unwitting victim in this burgeoning drama.
Gambler Was a "Whale"
It was further revealed that Bowyer was a frequent visitor at Resorts World. He lost a staggering $7.9M at the casino between June 2022 and October 2023, ESPN stated.
Due to his frequent visits and massive losses, Bowyer was labeled by ESPN as a "whale."
Bowyer also haunted casinos in Vegas like The Cosmopolitan and the Aria Resort & Casino, and Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino, the report let us know. At times, he gambled at the MGM Grand, the Palazzo, and the Venetian, sources informed ESPN.
Since a federal raid at his residence, Bowyer was barred from entering various U.S. gaming properties, ESPN reported.
So far, Bowyer and the anonymous accomplice haven't shown up in publicly-circulated indictments, the report divulged. When ESPN reached out to the lawyers representing the two individuals, no remarks were made on the scandal.
As more details come to light, Resorts World is frequently mentioned in what the feds are terming an inquiry into "illegal sports bookmaking organizations operating in Southern California, and the laundering of the proceeds of these operations through casinos in Las Vegas," ESPN declared.
In August, Resorts World was served a subpoena for diverse documents, including those related to anti-money laundering, the Nevada Current has reported.
Resorts World "Cooperating"
In a recent statement to ESPN, Resorts World Las Vegas said it "takes any suggestion of violations seriously and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation."
Two Las Vegas casinos have announced that they will incur penalties as a result of the inquiry, ESPN shared. So far, 12 suspects have been charged or convicted.
Scott Sibella, who was in charge of Resorts World until he was dismissed in September, has already pleaded guilty to charges linked to his tenure as president of MGM Grand. He's slated to be sentenced this month. The feds stated he failed to take suitable actions after misconduct by California bookie Wayne Nix.
Nix is slated to be sentenced for running an illicit gambling business and filing a false tax return.
ESPN reached out to Resorts World for a response on the allegations. No immediate comment was given.
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Source: www.casino.org
