No more than two months since the scandal was made public, a television series based on the ongoing investigation into Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter's money fraud is in development, per Variety. Lionsgate Television earned the right to produce a show with the scandal as the main storyline.
TV executive Scott Delman and sportswriter Albert Chen will both serve as producers. There is no network or writer attached to the project.
“With a strong track record of creating daring, boundary-pushing series, Lionsgate Television is the perfect partner to bring this unbelievable story to the screen,” Delman said, per Variety. “In addition, Albert’s extensive sports journalism background will enable us to connect the dots to make sense of the startling turn of events we’ve seen play out on the world stage.”
Chen was previously a senior editor at Sports Illustrated and covered baseball extensively.
“This is major league baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose – and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on,” Chen said. “We’ll get to the heart of the story – a story of trust, betrayal and the trappings of wealth and fame.”
The news comes less than 24 hours after Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in his federal case where he allegedly stole nearly $17 million from Ohtani. Mizuhara needed it to cover gambling debts. He reached a total of $41 million in net losses.
Ohtani was not involved and was not aware of Mizuhara's gambling addiction or his theft. The initial news of the scandal and Mizuhara's subsequent dismissal from his job with the Dodgers broke on March 20 when LA was in South Korea playing the San Diego Padres. The situation has unceremoniously unraveled since.
Shohei Ohtani's game at another level in 2024
Ohtani has not let the situation involving his friend and ex-interpreter impact his ability to perform on the diamond. The two-time MVP is off to a blistering start in his first season with the Dodgers.
Ohtani leads the league in batting average and OPS with 11 home runs, 27 RBIs, 32 runs and nine stolen bases. He hasn’t missed a beat and continues to have an impact in the Dodgers lineup on a nightly basis.
It is still very early in the season, but Ohtani's unbelievable start has people discussing his MVP odds and future plans. Ohtani was not given much of a chance to win the NL MVP despite earning MVP honors in the American League in 2023. His status as a designated hitter hurt his odds, but the 29-year-old is silencing the doubters and taking his game to a new level at the plate.
If Ohtani becomes the 17th player in MLB history to hit for the Triple Crown, it's hard to see a world in which he doesn’t deserve MVP. The Dodgers are undoubtedly a well-oiled machine stacked with All-Stars, but Ohtani has a chance to put up historic numbers and set some records for the designated hitter position.
After a slow start, the Dodgers are catching fire and looking like the team everyone expected them to be. Most of their games are appointment television with one of their many stars putting on a show almost any night.
MLB fans should buckle up and enjoy the ride because Shohei Ohtani might just be getting started.
Mizuhara facing significant time in prison
Ippei Mizuhara is pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. He will be required to pay Shohei Ohtani restitution that could total nearly $17 million, plus more than $1 million to the IRS.
Mizuhara also faces a maximum sentence of 33 years in federal prison based on his charges. His arraignment is set for May 14.
An incredible turn of events that shook the MLB and sports world could reach its conclusion soon as Ippei Mizuhara will be sentenced in due time. What a whirlwind couple of months for both parties plus the Dodgers and Major League Baseball.
The in-development television project will touch on Ohtani's relationship with Mizuhara and dive into how the interpreter schemed his way through his actions for several years. It will be interesting to see how both main characters are portrayed and just how much baseball will be involved.
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