How has the Ohtani scandal affected a potential TV series about the incident?

Lionsgate Television is facing challenges in setting up a scripted series about Ohtani's gambling scandal, as acquisition executives are concerned that the project could damage their parent companies' relationships with Major League Baseball.

Why are major media companies hesitant to get involved in the Ohtani TV series?

The major media companies that have rights deals with MLB worth hundreds of millions of dollars each year are reluctant to take on the Ohtani project, fearing it could jeopardize their current or future relationships with the league.

Home / Sports / Ohtani Interpreter's $16M Fraud Scandal Stalls Scripted Series Development

Ohtani Interpreter's $16M Fraud Scandal Stalls Scripted Series Development

Q: What was Shohei Ohtani's interpreter Ippei Mizuhara accused of?

Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's personal interpreter, was found to have wired large payments from the player's account to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation. Mizuhara later pleaded guilty to fraud for stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani's account.

24 Oct

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Summary

Lionsgate faces challenges setting up scripted series on Ohtani's gambling scandal
Acquisition execs fear project could damage relationships with Major League Baseball
Ohtani's interpreter pleaded guilty to stealing $16 million from the player's account

Ohtani Interpreter's $16M Fraud Scandal Stalls Scripted Series Development

As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series, Lionsgate Television is finding it challenging to set up a scripted series about the gambling scandal involving Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. According to a source, acquisition executives are concerned that taking on the project might damage their parent companies' current or future relationships with Major League Baseball.

The project, announced in May 2024, is being developed by producer Scott Delman and writer Alex Convery, who has become known for sports dramas. However, the series has faced setbacks, as major media companies with MLB rights deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars each year are hesitant to get involved.

The controversy at the heart of the series stems from Ohtani's personal interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who was found to have wired large payments from the player's account to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation. Mizuhara later pleaded guilty to fraud for stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani's account. While Ohtani has denied ever betting on sports and was not implicated, the scandal has cast a shadow over his remarkable career.

For now, the dramatization of the Ohtani scandal remains stuck in the Lionsgate dugout, as the company navigates the complex web of relationships and concerns surrounding the project.

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