‘Real Housewives’ Star Ryan Boyajian Caught in $16 Million Gambling Scandal

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Ryan Boyajian, who appears with his fiancée Jennifer Pedranti in The Real Housewives of Orange Countyis allegedly implicated in the $16 million gambling and theft scandal surrounding former Dodgers superstar performer Shohei Ohtani.

ESPN, citing several sources, reported that Boyajian is an associate of the bookmaker to whom interpreter Ippei Mizuhara transferred money to pay his gambling debts.

Mizuhara agreed today to plead guilty to two federal charges related to the theft of nearly $17 million from the Dodger slugger’s bank account. Prosecutors say Mizuhara used the money to pay off illegal gambling debts.

Ippei Mizuhara, 39, faces more than 30 years in federal prison under the plea agreement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to ESPN, Mizuhara’s illegal bookmaker told the performer that he could pay off his gambling debts by transferring money to “Associate 1.” According to ESPN, it is Boyajian.

“As there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with authorities, he cannot confirm or deny what is happening,” Boyajian’s attorney told ESPN. “It’s not a bookmaker or sub-bookmaker.”

Boyajian and the alleged illegal bookmaker in question, Mathew Bowyer, allegedly laundered Mizuhara’s payments through “marker” accounts at casinos. After depositing the payments, Boyajian and Bowyer “then withdrew the tokens from the marker accounts, played with them, and if they won, cashed them out.”

Multiple sources told the outlet that Boyajian was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.