It’s the pop culture crossover nobody could have seen coming: Shohei Ohtani and The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Over the course of its 18 seasons, the women of the OC have thrown enough drinks, got in enough fights and visited enough strip mall plastic surgeon’s offices to make your head spin. But drama involving the best baseball player in the world? Well, even for a huge franchise associated with more than a couple enormous legal cases (Salt Lake City, New Jersey Housewives have served prison time!) that’s a new one.
So, what’s going on here?
Ohtani’s name entering the Real Housewives discourse is all thanks to one man: Ryan Boyajian. The fiancé of RHOC cast member Jennifer Pedranti, Boyajian, 47, was first linked to Ohtani, 30, in May when ESPN published a report connecting him to Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara was fired in March after Ohtani’s representatives accused him of stealing at least $15 million from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts to an illegal sportsbook. According to a criminal complaint, Mizuhara would wire money into the account of an individual named “Associate 1.”
According to ESPN, “Associate 1” was Boyajian.
For a breakdown of all the players involved, where things stand now and what Boyajian and his Real Housewives castmates have said about the case, keep scrolling.
Who Is Shohei Ohtani?
Let’s start here.
For anybody living underneath a baseball rock, Ohtani, 30, is widely regarded as the best baseball player in the world. The Japanese star came stateside in 2017, playing the first six careers of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, the largest contract in professional sports history.
During his first season with the Dodgers, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
What Exactly Is Ryan Boyajian Accused of Doing?
Per ESPN, Boyajian and alleged illegal bookmaker Matthew Bowyer accepted gambling debts from Mizuhara, Ohtain’s former interpreter, into a bank account associated with their real estate projects.
Between February 2022 and October 2023, the account allegedly received wire transfers of at least $15 million from Ohtani’s account by Mizuhara. In his plea agreement, Mizuhara said he made the payments without Ohtani’s knowledge.
“Mizuhara paid his losses to Boyajian, who forwarded the money to his own ‘marker’ accounts at Resorts World and Pechanga Resort Casino in Southern California,” sources told ESPN. “Boyajian and Bowyer then withdrew the chips from the marker accounts, gambled with them and if they won, cashed out.”
Boyajian allegedly received high-end “comps” from his casino “host,” sources explained to ESPN, who earned money via commission based on how much Boyajian and Bowyer gambled.
The comps included free food and beverage, golf, tickets to shows and sporting events, shopping sprees and hotel suites.
What Has Ryan Boyajian Said About the Allegations?
Boyajian is cooperating with authorities, according to a statement by his lawyer.
“Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on,” criminal attorney Steven Katzman told ESPN in May. “He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie.”
Multiple sources told ESPN Boyajian has received immunity in return for his testimony.
What Has Jennifer Pedranti Said About the Allegations Against Ryan Boyajian?
Pedranti, 47, broke her silence on the allegations against Boyajian, who she started dating in 2020, during an appearance on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live in July.
“The relationship [Ryan] has to it is, it’s our best friends [Bowyer is married to wife Nicole Bowyer] and so it’s just unfortunate because we’ve traveled with them so many times to Vegas and all the perks and all the fun, but Ryan’s association with it is, it’s just his very best friend,” Pedranti told host Andy Cohen, speaking of Boyajian’s relationship with Bowyer. “It kind of sucks to be totally honest, but we’re just doing our best to just love and support them, and they’re the ones going through it.”
Pedranti continued, “I just think in time, these things take time, everybody will see it’s not Ryan. There’s not a single thing you can vindicate him from but if you give it time, everybody will see there’s nothing.”
What Has the Real Housewives of Orange County Cast Said About the Ryan Boyajian Accusations?
Shortly after the allegations against Boyajian were made, Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Judge let her feelings be made very clear.
“I didn’t sign up for Mob Wives. I signed up for The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Judge, 57, said on the May 13 episode of her “Two T’s in a Pod” podcast. “This is dark. This is heavy. This is disgusting.”
Us Weekly exclusively reported that Bravo cameras picked back up in the aftermath of the Boyajian drama and viewers got their first sneak peek of the firestorm ahead during the Thursday, September 26 episode.
“How’s the FBI going for you?” Judge asked Boyajian at a cast dinner party. “Oh, you don’t know anything about the FBI?”
In a confessional, Judge spilled more about her intimate knowledge of the case.
“I have known for about six months that Ryan was raided by the FBI,” she said. “It was some kind of illegal gambling and Jenn knows all about it.”
New episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County air Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
