Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter agrees to plead guilty in $17M sports gambling scandal

Regulation

Ryan Boyajian, a current cast member of Bravo’s reality TV series “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” is the bookmaker’s associate to whom Ippei Mizuhara wired money to pay his gambling debts, multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation told ESPN.

Mizuhara is accused of stealing $16 million from Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani to feed what Mizuhara described to ESPN as a gambling addiction. His arraignment has been rescheduled to May 14.

Steven Katzman, Boyajian’s criminal attorney, told ESPN that Boyajian is working with federal authorities.

“Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on,” Katzman told ESPN. “He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie.”

Multiple sources said Boyajian has received immunity in return for his testimony.

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California could not be reached for comment. The IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles office declined to comment.

RECOMMENDED