"Star of "Real Housewives", Ryan Boyajian, Linked to Shohei Ohtani's Gaming Controversy"
In the ongoing betting investigation involving Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, it's been reported by ESPN that the central figure is a cast member of the Bravo reality TV series "The Real Housewives of Orange County."
The mystery man, known as Ryan Boyajian, is accused of receiving millions of dollars from Ohtani's account to pay for Mizuhara's gambling debts. He's been referred to as "Associate 1" in the federal criminal complaint against Mizuhara, which alleges theft of at least $17 million from the baseball player.
On Wednesday, Mizuhara accepted a plea deal for one count of bank fraud and one count of signing a false tax return. He confessed to wiring "at least $15 million" to an account belonging to Boyajian. The funds were used by the reality TV star on behalf of California-based bookmaker Matthew Bowyer, known as "Bookmaker 1" in the complaint.
Boyajian subsequently transferred money to marker accounts at Resorts World and Pechanga Casino, where Bowyer and other associates withdrew the cash in chips, gambled, and then cashed out the remaining amount. Bowyer allegedly lost $7.9 million gambling at Resorts World from June 2022 to October 2023.
Federal agents were investigating a bigger operation involving illegal sports betting and potential money laundering at Las Vegas casinos. Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player providing illegal bookmaking services for professional athletes of various sports, is another target.
On the same day, former Resorts World and MGM Grand president Scott Sibella was sentenced to a year's probation and a $9,500 fine for violating the Bank Secrecy Act, which is an anti-money laundering law. Sibella didn't file a suspicious transaction report when Nix paid a marker with $120K in cash at the MGM Grand. He also let the bookie continue gambling even though he knew the money came from illegal bookmaking activities.
Nix is waiting to be sentenced after pleading guilty to federal tax and gambling charges. Bowyer hasn't been charged with any crime yet.
Steven Katzman, Boyajian's criminal lawyer, told ESPN that his client is cooperating with federal authorities but couldn't confirm or deny any specific details about the case. "He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie," Katzman added.
Mizuhara could face up to 30 years in prison despite his plea deal.
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Source: www.casino.org
