A new television drama about the gambling scandal that embroiled MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter will appear on Starz. The Lionsgate TV project will focus on Ippei Mizuhara, who stole over $16m from his former boss to pay his gambling debts.
Justin Lin and Alex Convery are the co-writers
Justin Lin and Alex Convery are the co-writers. The former is best known for his work on the Fast and Furious franchise and SWAT, while Convery wrote the popular movie Air, which follows the story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan.
Lionsgate TV, the former parent company of Starz, began working on the story in April 2024, around the time when federal prosecutors charged the interpreter with bank fraud. The early logline explains that the drama series will focus on how Mizuhara went from an “unemployed drifter to international icon only to find himself tangled in a gambling scandal that rocked the sports world.”
Mizuhara is currently serving almost five years in prison after admitting to stealing the money from his employer.
