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ESPN Plunges Back Into Shohei Ohtani Money Transfer Scandal With New Tisha Thompson Podcast
ESPN reporter Tisha Thompson, who first broke the story of Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing money from the baseball star to cover illegal gambling debts, is returning to the subject with a new six-part podcast series, "The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani." Produced under ESPN's "30 for 30" banner, it revisits one of the biggest scandals in recent sports history and comes as ESPN faces scrutiny over how much investigative journalism it can sustain, particularly given the NFL's 2025 acquisition of a 10% stake in the network.
The podcast launches on 28 July with two episodes, followed by further instalments released every Tuesday and Thursday until 11 August. It explores the breakdown of Ohtani and Mizuhara's friendship and features previously unheard audio from the only press interview Mizuhara has ever given, which Thompson describes as one of the most significant and strangest interviews of her career. The series also includes new material from bookmaker Matthew Bowyer, who ran the illegal betting operation used by Mizuhara, detailing how he recruited and retained wealthy clients, and examines the broader impact of sports betting's growth on sporting culture.
In short
- ESPN launches new Ohtani gambling scandal podcast on 28 July
- Six-part "30 for 30" series led by reporter Tisha Thompson
- Features first-ever interview audio with ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This represents important investigative journalism exploring a major sports scandal through long-form reporting. Fresh interviews with key figures, including Mizuhara's only press statement, provide new insights into the personal and criminal dimensions of the betrayal whilst examining the broader impact of sports betting on sporting culture. Such journalism serves the public interest by helping audiences understand how corruption occurs and the harms of industry practices.
The case against
Whilst the original reporting was valuable, extensively revisiting this known scandal raises questions about whether this serves journalism's core public-interest function or has become entertainment-focused content optimised for audience engagement, especially given the NFL's stake creating concerns about editorial independence. Providing detailed coverage of an illegal betting operation and a platform to its operator risks publicising such enterprises, even if critically framed. The shift from breaking important news to dramatising personal tragedy and known events may prioritise ratings over necessary investigation.
Explained simply
Shohei Ohtani is one of baseball's biggest contemporary stars, a Japanese player who joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. In 2024, it emerged that Ippei Mizuhara, his trusted interpreter and aide of many years, had stolen millions from him to pay illegal gambling debts.
Mizuhara had used the money to fund betting with illegal bookmakers, and when the theft was discovered, their long relationship collapsed. The scandal became one of the biggest in recent sports history, raising serious questions about how vulnerable even elite athletes can be to exploitation by those closest to them.
The case also highlighted the dangers of illegal gambling in professional sport and the role of investigative journalism in exposing wrongdoing. ESPN reporter Tisha Thompson, who broke the original story, is now exploring the full account through an in-depth podcast series.