Baseball | Shonei Ohtanin's interpreter is suspected of stealing $16 million – a new twist in the MLB star's betting spree

Of history baseball star with the most valuable player contract Shohei Ohtani has entered the MLB season amid a betting scandal.

Having acted as a man's interpreter Ippei Mizuhara is suspected of having stolen Ohtani's money for a total of 16 million dollars (about 15 million euros). In March, the news agency Reuters toldthat at least $4.5 million had been transferred from Ohtani's account to a California bookmaker organization.

Mizuhara reported himself to the police on Friday and handed over his passport. The man was released on $25,000 bail. Mizuhara's trial begins on May 9, tells CNN.

Mizuhara said that Ohtani paid his betting debts with bank transfers. Ohtani himself has denied being guilty of betting and gambling. Sports betting is illegal in California.

Japanese Ohtani signed a ten-year, $700 million player contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December. 29-year-old Ohtani is a baseball superstar who belongs to MLB's elite both as a pitcher and as a hitter.

There is a special clause in Ohtani's giant contract, due to which Ohtani only earns two million dollars per season during his contract. The remaining $680 million will be paid by the Dodgers to Ohtani over the 2034-2043 seasons.

The reason for Ohtani's special salary payment system is the luxury tax paid by MLB clubs, which the club evades by paying Ohtani only a fraction of his salary. This way, it is able to acquire quality players around Ohtani at the same time.

For example, after the Ohtani deal, the Dodgers signed the Japanese pitcher to a 12-year, $325 million contract Yoshinobu Yamamoto with.