A newly surfaced recording has pushed the Shohei Ohtani betting scandal back into the center of the baseball conversation, and the audio is as startling as the case itself.
According to the podcast, the recording captures Ippei Mizuhara allegedly posing as Ohtani during a call with a bank representative in order to authorize transfers from the superstar’s account. The audio is being described as one of the clearest looks yet at how the alleged fraud was carried out.
This is the actual recording of Ippei Mizuhara claiming to be Shohei Ohtani during a call to authorize a transfer of funds to Mathew Bowyer's account.
Listen to the first two episodes of "The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani" on July 28, wherever you get your podcasts 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/dwBgfIiZ7K
- ESPN (@espn) July 27, 2026
When the first reports tied Ohtani’s name to an illegal sports betting investigation, the reaction across MLB was immediate. Ohtani’s standing in the game - as its best player and one of its most respected figures - made the allegations hard for many fans to process.
But as the investigation developed, the picture changed. Authorities determined that Ohtani was not the person placing bets or knowingly approving money transfers from his accounts. Instead, the focus shifted to Mizuhara, Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, who was accused of running the scheme without Ohtani’s knowledge.
Investigators concluded that Mizuhara had allegedly made the bets himself and moved money out of Ohtani’s accounts without the two-way star knowing. That finding moved the spotlight away from Ohtani and onto the man who had been one of his closest confidants for much of his MLB career.
The newly released audio has only intensified interest in a story that already had the baseball world talking. Hearing someone allegedly impersonate one of the sport’s biggest stars adds another jolt to a scandal that has remained one of the most remarkable off-field stories in recent MLB history.
In Other News...
Chargers RB2 Battle Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Fans Expected
The backup running back job behind Omarion Hampton was supposed to be a straightforward camp storyline, but it has a little more texture now with Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell both in the mix. Vidal has already shown he can handle a heavier workload and contribute in more than one way, which gives him a solid case as the safer option if the Chargers want reliability behind their starter.
Mitchell brings a different kind of appeal with his burst and change-of-pace ability, the sort of trait that can force a defense to adjust in a hurry. For now, Vidal is the expected favorite to open camp as the top reserve, but the competition is still live enough that performance and health could keep this one from settling quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ravens Pick Just Hit Another Brutal NFL Reality Check
A January addition meant to give the Chargers some veteran depth up front is already gone, with Ben Cleveland released early in training camp after another off-field arrest in Georgia. Cleveland had joined Los Angeles after his run with the Ravens ended, but his time with the Chargers never got far enough to become more than a short-lived roster move.
The larger concern is the pattern around Cleveland, whose NFL path has been repeatedly interrupted by discipline and legal trouble. He previously faced a league suspension under the substance abuse policy, and a prior DUI arrest only added to the uncertainty surrounding his future, leaving his next step very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Herberts Surprise Off-Field Milestone Could Raise Chargers Expectations
Justin Herbert has spent much of his NFL career being judged on the same terms every quarterback of his caliber faces: wins, production and how he handles the noise around him. Now he enters the 2026 season with a different kind of headline attached to him after announcing an engagement, a personal milestone that arrives as the Chargers continue building around him and trying to turn high expectations into something more lasting.
For a player who has long kept his focus despite plenty of outside attention, the timing hardly feels like a setback for Los Angeles. If anything, the Chargers are banking on Herbert remaining the steady center of everything they want to do, with a new coaching direction and a roster that gives him more support than ever as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]