Ryan Boyajian, 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star, tied to Ippei Mizuhara scandal: report
LOS ANGELES - "Real Housewives of Orange County" castmember Ryan Boyajian may be in some hot water.
ESPN reports Boyajian, who is the fiancé of Jennifer Pedranti, is the bookmaker's associated to whom Ippei Mizuhara - the former translator for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani - wired money to pay his gambling debts.
Mizuhara’s illegal bookmaker told the interpreter he could pay his gambling debts by wiring money to "Associate 1." That is Boyajian, the publication reported.
(L-R) Jennifer Pedranti and Ryan Boyajian attend Amazon Freevee's "Hollywood Houselift With Jeff Lewis" Season Two Premiere at Sunset Tower Hotel on December 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Amazon Freevee)
"Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on. He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie," Boyajian's lawyer told ESPN.
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Multiple sources told ESPN that Boyajian received immunity in return for his testimony.
The allegation comes after Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, and another count of filing a false tax return, which could add another three years to his sentence.
The Justice Department alleges that Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from Ohtani's personal bank account, without Ohtani's knowledge, to pay off his debts.
Mizuhara is expected to enter his guilty plea at an arraignment next week.