India, July 29 -- More than a year after one of Major League Baseball's biggest controversies unfolded, newly released audio has provided additional insight into the gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

The recordings reveal that Mizuhara initially told ESPN reporter Tisha Thompson that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar had agreed to help pay off his massive gambling debts.

However, less than 24 hours later, he contacted the same reporter and admitted he had fabricated that version of events, according to a Field Level Media report.

Mizuhara is currently serving a 57-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. Th...