Ohtani interpreter

[packs]

Originally Posted by jayshum

From what I've read and seen discussed on ESPN, the initial reporting was that Ohtani's interpreter said that Ohtani sent 2 wire transfers of $500,000 each to pay for gambling debts of the interpreter. After that, something unknown changed to the story becoming reporting of massive theft. Also, there was mention of other wire transfers having been made and a total amount owed of $4.5 million.

It sounds like maybe the interpreter had access to Ohtani's account and could have been the one who made the wire transfers without Ohtani knowing about them. If so, that would clearly be theft. We'll have to wait and see as more information comes out if this is what happened or if something else is going on.

I process wire transfers for my employer. There is only one way for someone to process a transfer on your behalf without you knowing it. You'd first have to authorize that person as an account signer and authorize that person for ACH and wire transfers. You'd also have to provide that person with their own login to your account (if processing online), provide them with your own personal login information, or authorize the bank to contact the person only on their authorized phone number (to confirm via phone). Otherwise, the bank will call the authorized number on the account to confirm, and they won't be calling you, who is trying to make the wire under the radar. They'd call the account holder who would not authorize the transfer.

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

[StraightRaceCards]

Goes to show, pick your friends wisely people!

[Yoda]

Shinpai nai des. Boku wa nihongo hanashimas. Otanisan wa watakshi no tomodashi des.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Shinpai nai des. Boku wa nihongo hanashimas. Otanisan wa watakshi no tomodashi des.

+1

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by packs

I process wire transfers for my employer. There is only one way for someone to process a transfer on your behalf without you knowing it. You'd first have to authorize that person as an account signer and authorize that person for ACH and wire transfers. You'd also have to provide that person with their own login to your account (if processing online), provide them with your own personal login information, or authorize the bank to contact the person only on their authorized phone number (to confirm via phone). Otherwise, the bank will call the authorized number on the account to confirm, and they won't be calling you, who is trying to make the wire under the radar. They'd call the account holder who would not authorize the transfer.

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

So you're saying it would be possible for the interpreter to be making the transfers without Ohtani knowing about them but not easy. If the guy owed that much money, it may have been worth it to him to find a way to be able to do it. Apparently, Ohtani trusted him so maybe he abused that trust to find a way. I guess we'll see as more information comes out.

[packs]

Originally Posted by jayshum

So you're saying it would be possible for the interpreter to be making the transfers without Ohtani knowing about them but not easy. If the guy owed that much money, it may have been worth it to him to find a way to be able to do it. Apparently, Ohtani trusted him so maybe he abused that trust to find a way. I guess we'll see as more information comes out.

It is possible, yes, but not without Ohtani giving him the kind of authority you would a money manager or a power of attorney. It would be highly unusual for someone to give a friend that kind of access to their finances if they weren't managing money for them professionally.

Without willingly giving him that kind of authority over his finances, the only other way for someone to make a transfer without involving the account holder is to impersonate them. But we all have our own accounts and we know that you would also need unrestricted access to personal devices (cell phone) or e-mail accounts in addition to a login to retrieve the verification security codes.

[pgellis]

If I had high value Ohtani cards, I’d be selling them today. Does not look good for Ohtani.

[jayshum]

I read that wire transfers to someone involved with illegal gambling would be a crime which could help explain why Ohtani's legal team doesn't want there to be an admitted connection between Ohtani and the wire transfers if Ohtani really did make them.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by packs

It would be an unusual level of authority for an interpreter or a friend to have over another person's personal accounts. The only way you could hide the transfer would be for you obtain ultimate authorization over another's personal accounts, or to impersonate that person using sensitive account information you've gained access to. Again, something that does occur in the world of money management, but not usually among your friends.

I agree with everything you say.

While Mizuhara is generally described as "the interpreter" and they began as friends, I could very much see his actual job as being more of a personal assistant, in which case having access to all of that info is a very real possibility, especially because of the trust developed thru the friendship.

BUT, the amounts involved would QUICKLY raise red flags to the business management overseeing the accounts.

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

While Mizuhara is generally described as "the interpreter" and they began as friends, I could very much see his actual job as being more of a personal assistant, in which case having access to all of that info is a very real possibility, especially because of the trust developed thru the friendship.

BUT, the amounts involved would QUICKLY raise red flags to the business management overseeing the accounts.

That's basically what Daniel Kim said during the second game on ESPN. He mentioned that he had been an interpreter for a while with a MLB player, and the job involved being very much of a "personal assistant". If the player went out, had to open a bank account, was buying a home.....whatever; he (Kim) was there to help guide the player through the process.

Another thing I wonder is.....now that Mizuhara has been fired from his job as Shohei's interpreter, what if any, ties does he still have in the USA? His entire existence was to serve as Shohei's assistant/interpreter. Now that he no longer has his job, will he even come back to the USA? And if not, how will that affect any investigation into what happened?

Steve

[Yoda]

How do you short Otani cards?

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do you short Otani cards?

A pair of scissors.

[Snowman]

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade. I know and/or have met hundreds of degenerate gamblers over the course of my life. They all fit a particular profile, though there are various flavors of them. I'd wager some damn good money that Ohtani is not a degenerate gambler. It's far more likely that he bailed out his friend or that his friend had access to his accounts somehow than it is that he's a degenerate gambler looking to launder millions of dollars worth of bets through him.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade. I know and/or have met hundreds of degenerate gamblers over the course of my life. They all fit a particular profile, though there are various flavors of them. I'd wager some damn good money that Ohtani is not a degenerate gambler. It's far more likely that he bailed out his friend or that his friend had access to his accounts somehow than it is that he's a degenerate gambler looking to launder millions of dollars worth of bets through him.

I am not a gambler, but I have worked with degenerates (gambling & otherwise) for nearly 40 years, and I agree completely.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade. I know and/or have met hundreds of degenerate gamblers over the course of my life. They all fit a particular profile, though there are various flavors of them. I'd wager some damn good money that Ohtani is not a degenerate gambler. It's far more likely that he bailed out his friend or that his friend had access to his accounts somehow than it is that he's a degenerate gambler looking to launder millions of dollars worth of bets through him.

Travis, do you feel that your professional gambling experience gave you an edge when buying cards? John

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade.

or is it this?

Originally Posted by Snowman

I've lived and breathed gambling for decades.

Not sure either one would qualify anyone to be able to identify someone they have never met and know nothing about as someone who likes gambling or has a problem with gambling.

I will never question your expertise as a data scientist as I have read things you have written on the topic and I am sold but not so much in many other areas you seem to hold yourself as an expert.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I was a professional gambler for more than a decade. I know and/or have met hundreds of degenerate gamblers over the course of my life. They all fit a particular profile, though there are various flavors of them. I'd wager some damn good money that Ohtani is not a degenerate gambler. It's far more likely that he bailed out his friend or that his friend had access to his accounts somehow than it is that he's a degenerate gambler looking to launder millions of dollars worth of bets through him.

Travis, thanks for sharing this. Never heard of degenerate gambler, so I looked it up. Definitely opened my eyes.

https://gamblerspro.com/degenerate-gambler-are-you-one/

I've been collecting cards and sports memorabilia for 45 years, before recently selling everything off. At no point did I ever have the urge to spend money I didn't have, just to get that item I really wanted. It's just not in me.

I now know my Son is a degenerate gambler. I assume it started when he worked at a Casino right after high school. He worked there for a couple of years, but was later fired and banned from the Casino (I assume he stole from them). He had numerous jobs in which he stole from his employers to support his gambling habit. One business fired him for theft, then rehired him (owner was a friend of his mother), then he stole from them again. His only interaction with me over the last 15 years was when he was looking for money. He wasn't a good liar, so I didn't fall for his stories. I wouldn't hear from him for years at at time.

After not hearing from him for the past two years, he reached out to me. He told me that he was arrested for stealing from his employer and that they pressed charges (none of the other business filed charges, they just fired him). He said he was facing jail time and it scared him to death because he has a 6 year old son. I was able to check and verify that he was telling me the truth. He told me how he was going through counseling and how much he has learned from it, blah blah blah. Well, being that I was a legal officer in the military for 25 years, and I have seen many young Sailors turn themselves around after getting into trouble, I let my guard down. I believed and trusted him. I was proud of him for turning a corner to better his life. He was very convincing. He played me for about a month, before working his magic to get money out of me. I guess the father in me wanted to believe in him, more than I should have. He had a debt that he needed taken care, so I wanted to help him, so he could continue to get himself out of debt. Well, once he got the money (not a loan), he again pressed for money a few weeks later. That's when I knew he didn't learn a thing. Possible jail didn't scare him. When he wasn't going to get any more money from me, he got angry and turned back into his old nasty, hateful self again.

It's truly difficult for me to understand the mindset they have. But the above article did help somewhat. It's truly sad to see my Son ruin his life over gambling. And he's not even good at it.

Thanks, Tony

[Metsfan0507]

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do you short Otani cards?

Borrow Ohtani cards from a friend, sell them, wait and hope you can buy them back later for cheaper to give them back to your friend

[bobbvc]

MLB- "Players, you are not allowed to bet on Baseball"
Also MLB- "Fans, bet on Baseball, (responsibly of course, lol), you don't want to let our sponsors down"
Me- Nothing to see here folks, all seems reasonable, move along.

[chalupacollects]

I mean what are the odds of this happening???

[Vintagedeputy]

I haven't been following this story much, but did I see something that the bets were actually Ohtani's?

[JustinD]

duplicate post -

[JustinD]

update just now -

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/f...th-bank-fraud/

Feds found Mizuhara embezzled over 16 million from Ohtani. He is in the process of taking a plea deal now.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office has obtained recordings of telephone calls in which Mizuhara allegedly spoke to bank employees and falsely claimed to be Ohtani, including providing biographical information, in order to ensure the bank would approve the wire transfers. Estrada also alleged that Mizuhara denied anyone else access to Ohtani's bank account, including his agent, accountant and financial advisor."

This is definitely an outline of how to not trust people explicitly, and understand you need to have checkers for the checkers when your finances are such that 16 million can go missing and it's not noticed. Imagine a situation like Elon, where if you did not have an army of accountants a literal half billion could walk away and you may not notice for a year. Certainly is a different life than I can understand, but I feel for the guy. I hope this pushes him to focus on building his english and being a bit more safe.

[jetsetr1]

Every time read $4.5 mil, my mind thinks what cards I’d have bought lol

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by bobbvc

MLB- "Players, you are not allowed to bet on Baseball"
Also MLB- "Fans, bet on Baseball, (responsibly of course, lol), you don't want to let our sponsors down"
Me- Nothing to see here folks, all seems reasonable, move along.

100% agree, Manfred and MLB have dropped to their knees and grabbed the hips of corporate gambling.

No reason to keep Jackson and Rose out of the hall anymore.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

100% agree, Manfred and MLB have dropped to their knees and grabbed the hips of corporate gambling.



No reason to keep Jackson and Rose out of the hall anymore.

Yep. Or even more reason to stay firm and try to hold the higher ground. Things may get very messy soon.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[packs]

Can you guys explain what Pete Rose or Joe Jackson have to do with Ohtani? I understand the general term "gambling" applies but is there no nuance between potentially gambling on a Premier League soccer game and gambling on a game you're managing? Or throwing the World Series on purpose?