Report: Former Shohei Ohtani teammate David Fletcher used former interpreter's bookmaker
A former Los Angeles Angels teammate of Shohei Ohtani used the same bookmaker that Ohtani's former interpreter used, according to a report from ESPN.com.
David Fletcher, who was Ohtani's teammate for six seasons from 2018-2023 and is now playing for the Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves Triple-A affiliate, placed bets with Mathew Bowyer's bookmaking operation.
According to the report, Fletcher did not bet on baseball, and league rules stipulate that players can place bets on other sports but not use illegal bookmakers like Bowyer. Players who bet on baseball but did not play in those games face a year-long ban; those who bet on their own games face permanent banishment.
Fletcher told ESPN in a March interview that he never placed a bet himself with Bowyer's organization.
Fletcher, who was traded to Atlanta in December, played second base for Gwinnett on Friday night against the Memphis Redbirds. The 29-year-old Fletcher signed a five-year, $26 million extension with Los Angeles in 2021.
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Federal authorities say that Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly stole $17 million from Ohtani to fuel a gambling addiction. Mizuhara is accused of felony bank fraud and could face more than three decades in prison when he is sentenced.
On Tuesday, Mizuhara pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles federal court, but his attorney reiterated to a judge that Mizuhara has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.