Shohei Ohtani’s Bookmaker REVEALS The $40 Million Gambling Scandal

Michael Franzese August 28, 2025
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Michael Franzese

@michaelfranzese

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Welcome! For those who don't know me, I'm Michael. I was a former capo for the Colombo crime family back in the 1980s & best known for being one of the top money earners for the mob since Al Capone. Fortunately, I've been able to walk away from that life and reinvent myself (unlike many of my associates during that time). And for the past 25 years, I’ve traveled around the world speaking at corporate leadership events, churches & prison ministries, and to pro sports teams. I’ve also launched multiple successful businesses and have helped close deals that have brought in millions of dollars. On this channel, I share my experience, advice, and point of view on various topics.

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🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: https://franzesewine.com/ 💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: https://michaelfranzese.com/family/ $40 Million Dollars. That’s how much money The Interpreter allegedly “borrowed” from Shohei Ohtani — and where does Matt Bowyer, the bookmaker, fit into this explosive story? I sit down with Matt Bowyer—the man who took millions from Ohtani’s interpreter—and he’s telling me things that’ll shock you. Was Ohtani really innocent? How did Matt not know something was wrong when an interpreter was betting millions? And why didn’t he just cut him off? This isn’t the sanitized story you heard on ESPN. This is the truth from someone who lived it—told to someone who’s been there. Matt’s facing 18 years in prison. And for the first time, he’s answering the questions everyone’s been asking but nobody’s been brave enough to ask directly. Trust me—what you think you know about this scandal is just the beginning. The real story is much more interesting. Shohei Ohtani’s Bookmaker REVEALS The $40 Million Gambling Scandal 🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: https://michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call/ 🔥 Check out my store: https://store.michaelfranzese.com/ 🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Eo39qb 0:00 - Introduction: Ohtani and The Interperetor 2:22 - Setting up the Ohtani gambling controversy 3:26 - Matt Bowyer interview begins 4:27 - Matt's early gambling and family struggles 6:43 - From restaurant busboy to commodity trading 10:14 - Mentorship and brokerage firm success 13:03 - Buying back his family's lost home 15:17 - Building the online sports-book empire 16:48 - Payment methods and customer loyalty 18:17 - Collection stories and mob connections 24:14 - First FBI raid in 2014 25:09 - October 2023 raid with 29 agents 27:04 - Wife's loyalty through the investigation 29:25 - How the feds found him 31:00 - Vegas casinos vs. old mob operations 37:08 - Meeting Ohtani's interpreter at poker game 38:55 - First bets and wire transfers 40:41 - "Holy f***" moment with Ohtani wire 43:00 - $24 million credit limit explanation 45:23 - Interpreter's soccer betting obsession 48:12 - Where the stolen money came from 50:15 - Cooperating with federal investigation 52:05 - Athletes and gambling addiction 54:12 - His $4.6 million Super Bowl bet 56:25 - Government hypocrisy on gambling 57:31 - Facing prison and family impact Backbone Media Group

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