The Shohei Ohtani interpreter betting scandal is one of the crazier stories this decade. ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson broke it and takes us inside all of the fascinating turns. Thompson has a new 30-for-30 podcast series on the whole scandal called, “The betrayal of Shohei Ohtani.”
It is a 35-minute edition of “The Main Event with Andrew Marchand.” A podcast about a podcast.
RUNDOWN …
What was it like to find out that Shohei Ohtani’s bank account was sending millions to an illegal bookmaker
What Thompson had to do next in the reporting and the wrench that was thrown into that it might be Ohtani’s interpreter
How she feared an adult game of “telephone”
The reputational damage that is at risk in these stories
Why it was so important to talk to Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara
How she and ESPN told Ohtani about the information they had
How she got the interview with Mizuhara and then he lied
What was the timeline of the reporting
The frantic, “Don’t Publish!” phone call
She calls Mizuhara and he picks up …
The Dodgers make a call on Mizuhara
“Why should I believe you?”
The communication trail that shows the truth
How is trust built up
How the business is sourced information, not rumors
Why did the story change so much
Who is Ohtani & Mizuhara
What was Mizuhara making
Learning how bookies hook gamblers
How long is Mizuhara in prison
Thompson’s incredible family history in journalism
Related Podcasts: Mark Kriegel, Peter King, Joel Sherman, Adam Schefter, Chris Russo, Michael Kay, Joe Buck, Ramona Shelburne
