David Fletcher bet with the same alleged bookmaker Ippei Mizuhara used

MLB

By Andrew Battifarano

The client list of an alleged California bookmaker reportedly includes a former teammate of Shohei Ohtani and another former minor league player.

Former Angels infielder David Fletcher and former Royals minor league shortstop Colby Schultz placed sports bets with the same alleged bookmaker that Ippei Mizuhara – Ohtani’s ex-interpreter – is accused of using, according to ESPN.

Fletcher, according to the report, made multiple bets with Mathew Boywer, who was investigated by federal authorities over an alleged illegal gambling ring.

ESPN reported that Fletcher, who now plays for the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate after six seasons with the Angels, did not bet on baseball.

However, Schultz allegedly gambled on baseball, betting on Angels games when Fletcher was on the team.

Betting on this sport is prohibited by Major League Baseball.

According to the report, Schultz and Fletcher are close friends, and the latter told the outlet that he knew Bowyer and was at a poker game in 2021 where Mizuhara met the alleged bookie.

Schultz, a UC Riverside product whose hometown is 22 miles from Fletcher’s, has not played in affiliated baseball since 2019, and was released by the Royals in 2020.

It is unclear how much money the two players allegedly bet.

In March, Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers after reports emerged during the MLB Opening Series in South Korea that the performer stole millions of dollars from Ohtani.

After authorities investigated these allegations, Mizuhara was formally charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of false tax filing in April after it was discovered in the investigation that he had stolen nearly $17 million to the two-way star to pay off. the gambling debts he had incurred.