ESPN's Tisha Thompson with the latest on the Shohei Ohtani interpreter gambling scandal

Seattle Sports
21 Mar 202414:49

Summary

TLDRこの衝撃的な話は、大谷翔平の名前がカリフォルニアのブックメーカーへの大金のワイヤートランスファーに関連していることから始まります。調査の過程で、大谷の長年の通訳であり親友であるエペ・マハラがギャンブルの借金のために大谷に金銭的な支援を求めたことが明らかになりました。しかし、物語は複雑な展開を見せ、マハラが最初に語った話とは異なり、大谷が借金の返済を指示または行った証拠はないことが判明しました。この事件は、MLBや連邦捜査機関の注意を引き、スポーツ賭博の問題に新たな光を当てることになります。

Takeaways

  • 📢 脚本讲述了一个关于Otani和其翻译Mahara的复杂故事。
  • 💰 Mahara在没有足够资金的情况下,被书商授予了高额信用额度,导致巨额赌博债务。
  • 🤝 Mahara和Otani之间有着非常亲密的关系,Mahara是Otani的长期翻译和密友。
  • 📈 根据Mahara的说法,他欠下了巨额赌债,并请求Otani帮助偿还。
  • 💻 Mahara声称是按照他收到的指示,通过Otani的电脑进行了电汇支付。
  • 🚨 后来,Otani的律师声称发生了大规模盗窃,并将此事交由当局处理。
  • 🔄 Mahara在与记者的第二次通话中承认了对第一次通话中的陈述撒谎。
  • 🗓️ 电汇支付的时间与Mahara最初的故事相符,即从2021年开始赌博。
  • 🔍 目前,联邦调查局正在调查这个赌博操作,但尚未对书商或Mahara提出指控。
  • 🏦 根据MLB的规则,运动员不得使用赌注经纪人,也不得在棒球上投注。
  • 📞 目前,Otani和Mahara都未被联邦当局问询,MLB正在密切关注联邦调查的进展。
  • 🌐 由于涉及的人员目前在南韩,调查和报道的进展可能会受到影响。
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Outlines

00:00

🔍 銀行口座と電信送金の疑問

この段落では、ある銀行口座が報道された事件の概要が説明されています。その口座は、Otaniという人物の名前がついているもので、南カリフォルニアの賭博業者に電信送金をしていたことが明らかになっています。この問題がどのように発覚したか、またなぜOtaniの名前が関与しているのかを追いかけます。また、事件の裏には、多額の借金が紛れており、その支払いのためにOtaniに頼ったとされるepe maharaという人物がいます。しかし、後にmaharaは彼が最初の説明を変更し、Otaniが支払いを行わなかったことを明かしました。

05:01

🎲 賭博による借金と信用延长

この段落では、epe maharaが信用を延长され、何も投じていないまま賭博を続けたことが明らかになります。彼は、捜査対象の賭博業者から信用延长を受けており、その結果、大額の借金を抱え込んでいたことが示されています。また、maharaが初めての説明では、2021年以降の賭博が始まったと述べており、彼はterrible Gamblerと自称しています。しかし、実際の送金は2023年に行われたものであり、この点についても疑問が生じます。

10:03

⚖️ 法的調査とMLBの反応

最後の段落では、法的調査が進行中であることが述べられています。Otaniとmaharaはまだ連邦当局からの質問を受けていないとされており、MLBはこの調査を密接に追跡しています。また、MLBの規則によれば、野球選手は賭博業者を利用することはできませんが、他のスポーツの賭博は合法であるため、その規則は適用されない可能性があります。この事件の結果として、maharaはすぐに解雇され、今後の展開についても注目が続いていることが示されています。

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Otani

オタニは、この物語の中心的な人物であり、プロ野球選手である。彼の名前が問題の銀行口座についていることが明らかになり、その口座からの振込がカリフォルニア州の賭博業者に送られていることが示された。オタニは、この問題を解決するために関与したとされているが、後述のエペ・マハラとの会話から、オタニが賭博債務を負担したわけではなく、振込も行わなかったことが判明した。

💡Epem Mahara

エペ・マハラは、オタニの長年の通訳者であり、彼の最も親しい友人の一人とされています。この事件において、マハラが賭博債務を抱え、オタニに返済を頼んだと語った。しかし、後にマハラがこの情報を偽りであったことが明らかになり、オタニに賭博債務を話したわけではなく、振込も行わなかったことが確認された。

💡Wire transfers

振込とは、銀行間で資金を電子的に移すプロセスです。この事件では、オタニ名の銀行口座から賭博業者への振込が行われていたことが問題となっています。マハラがオタニのコンピューターにアクセスして振込を行ったとされており、その金額は少なくとも4.5百万円に上ると言われています。

💡Gambling debts

賭博債務とは、賭博によって生じた借金のことを指します。この場合、マハラが賭博に夢中になり、大きな借金を作ってしまったとされており、最初のインタビューではオタニに返済を頼ったと話していたが、後にこの情報を否定し、オタニが賭博債務について知らなかったことを明かした。

💡Federal investigation

連邦調査は、アメリカ合衆国政府が犯罪や不正行為を調査するために行う正式なプロセスです。この文脈では、賭博業者とその運営に関する連邦当局の調査が進行中であり、その調査の結果に基づいてオタニとマハラの行いに関連する可能性があることが示唆されています。

💡Theft

盗難とは、他人の財産を不法に奪う行為です。この事件では、オタニの代理人が行ったとされる振込が、オタニの許可を得ずに行われた可能性があるため、大規模な盗難事件として扱われているようです。

💡Bookmaker

賭博業者とは、賭博を通じて odds を設定し、賭客との賭博を仲介する人または組織を指します。この文脈では、南カリフォルニア州の賭博業者が問題の銀行口座と関連していることが明らかになり、連邦当局の調査対象となっています。

💡Interpreter

通訳者は、言語を専門とし、他者とのコミュニケーションを支援する人です。この事件では、エペ・マハラがオタニの通訳者であり、彼の最も親しい友人の一人とされています。マハラは、賭博債務の問題と関連して注目されています。

💡MLB

MLBは、メジャーリーグ・ベースボールの略で、北米三大スポーツリーグの一つです。この文脈では、MLBがこの事件の対応について注目されており、特にプロ選手が賭博を行うことが許されるかどうかについてのルールが焦点となっています。

💡Rules and regulations

ルールと規制とは、特定の行為や活動を行う際に従うべき規定や法則のことを指します。この事件では、MLBの規則に従って、プロ野球選手が賭博を行うことが許可されているかどうかが問題となっています。また、賭博行為に関する連邦規制も重要な要素となっています。

💡Investigative reporter

調査報道記者は、事件や問題を深く掘り下げ、真相を明らかにする仕事を行う報道関係者です。この文脈では、Tisha Thompsonが調査報道記者としてこの事件を追いかけ、報道していることが明らかです。

💡Due diligence

Due diligenceは、取引や問題解決のための適切な調査や分析を行うプロセスです。この文脈では、MLBが連邦調査の進展を注視し、その結果に基づいてオタニとマハラの事件に対処する際にDue diligenceを行っていることが示唆されています。

Highlights

A series of events involving wire transfers to a Southern California bookmaker came under federal investigation.

Otani's name was linked to a bank account involved in these wire transfers.

Epe Mahara, Otani's interpreter and close friend, admitted to being involved in the wire transfers related to his gaming debts.

Mahara initially claimed that Otani was aware of and agreed to cover his gaming debts.

Later, Mahara recanted his story, saying Otani was not aware of the gaming debts or the payments.

At least $4.5 million had been sent from the bank account in question.

Mahara's role as Otani's interpreter and close friend is highlighted, with claims he spent more time with Otani than his own wife.

The timeline of events began in 2021, with Mahara placing bets and getting in over his head by 2023.

Wire transfers with Otani's name on them were made in 2023, coinciding with Mahara's initial story.

The bookmaker running the operation has not been charged and claims no direct contact with Otani.

MLB rules prohibit athletes from using a bookmaker or betting on baseball, but there is little precedent for this situation.

Mahara was fired after the story broke, and the MLB is following the federal investigation closely.

The investigation is complicated by the fact that many involved parties are currently in South Korea.

Otani and Mahara have not been questioned by federal authorities as of the last update.

The story is expected to evolve as more information comes to light.

The reporter emphasizes the unusual nature of the story and the potential for ongoing developments.

The process of making wire transfers is mentioned as a point of interest in the investigation.

The reporter expresses a desire to understand which authorities have been contacted in relation to the case.

Transcripts

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quite this because this is just a crazy

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story what do we

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know well we have a lot going on I think

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for folks who are just catching up um

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there was a series of events that

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happened between Tuesday night into

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Wednesday midday where a lot suddenly

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started to change it all I think it's

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easy to say that it really for us began

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uh this week when um based on multiple

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sources and uh Bank documents that I had

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seen um we were reaching out to Otani

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spokesperson to ask why there was a bank

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account with SH otani's name on it that

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was sending wire transer excuse me wire

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transfers to a Southern California

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bookmaker

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and an operation I should say run by a

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Southern California bookmaker and and

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that book maker and and the operation

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around it um according to multiple

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sources is currently under investigation

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by federal authorities in in California

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um and so we wanted to understand why is

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otani's name on on these wire transfers

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I I saw some of them um we had multiple

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sourcing telling us that um at least

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$4.5 million had been sent from that

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bank account um so through a series of

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events that happened and I'm gonna get

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I'm gon to cut to the chase I get on the

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phone with epe mahara he is atani's

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longtime interpreter uh and and people

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characterize him as otani's closest

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friend that they have a bond as close as

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brothers and that they there's there's a

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story out there from some years ago that

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says that mahara spent more time with

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Otani than he did with his own wife

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um so these are two men that were very

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very close to each other and so he and I

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get on the phone and I spend about 90

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minutes on the phone with him um this

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was late Tuesday night it was a couple

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of hours before the season opener

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between the Dodgers and the padr which

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was taking place in South Korea so for

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mahara it was it was the morning time in

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South Korea um it was a couple hours

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before the game and he tells me and that

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first and there it's important that

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people understand this is what he first

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tells me he tells me that they are his

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gaming Debs um that he got in over his

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head that he went this is what he first

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says that he went to Otani and asked him

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to pay off the debts Otani wasn't happy

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about it but eventually offers to pay

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them and following instructions that

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mahara had received and then relayed to

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Otani uh Lodge into his computer and

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made the wire transfer payments

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um we We Begin you know we we don't

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begin we're in the final stages of

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putting our story together Wednesday

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morning midday and we we get a statement

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through otani's

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spokesperson um from otani's attorneys

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saying that there has been a massive

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theft theft and that they are turning it

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over to

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authorities and we then you know start

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making a bunch of phone calls to try to

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understand what has just happened and of

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course I call mahara and he tells and I

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I frankly I say epe did you lie to me

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last night and he says yes and he

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through a series of questions and

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answers tells me that Otani did not this

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is the second conversation with mahara

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he says he did not tell Otani about the

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gaming death and that Otani did not make

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the

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payments that is a crazy story I got to

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tell you I mean like it's it it reads

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crazy but hearing you describe you know

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the timeline of it makes it sound even

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more bizarre so it kind of leads me to

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two quick follow-ups that I have to ask

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one yeah of course what what do what

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does ePay make $150,000 a year I mean he

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doesn't make millions of dollars a year

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right you know that's a really interest

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yeah so that's a really interesting

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question we had we had sourcing that was

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you know putting an interpreter pay

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um initially we were hearing you know a

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couple

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hundred, okay um I've had some of my

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colleagues here you know that some

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interpreters make 85 is thousand all

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right but it's not enough money to get a

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four and a half million dooll credit

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line well you know I think it's hard for

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you and me to speculate on that because

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we don't operate bookmaking operations

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at least I don't um I don't either for

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the record you know I can only work on

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what I've been told okay and the one the

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one thing um that has not been clawed

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back or I should say the one thing but

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you know one of the things that has not

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been clawed back uh between the two

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interviews with mahara is um that he was

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extended credit this is what he told me

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he was extended credit by the bookmaker

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that sources say is under investigation

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and he never had to put any money up

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front and he was allowed to continue to

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gamble must have been a heck of a heck

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of a credit line that he was extended

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which is pretty impressive I guess the

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the other question then becomes the

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dates on the transfers what do how do

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those match up with either of his two

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stories or do we not know enough yet

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well no no I so so the thus far let me

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just say this is an evolving story right

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right Mahar did not spend as much time

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on the phone with me the second time we

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talked um it it was a fairly short

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conversation um and was not you know was

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not giving me a lot of details but in

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that but but but so far no one is

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debating that it was mahara who was

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placing the bets um and

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so tell me tell me what you really want

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me to to to get at here because there's

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no debate over whether he was making the

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bets at this juncture if that makes any

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sense uh yes no I think I'm not sure

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what I was getting at other than trying

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to as you were talking I was thinking oh

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I wonder if the dates back up the fact

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that sh came in later and said hey I

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want to cover this for you did the did

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the dates back that up yeah okay thank

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you forgive me I have so much

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information in my brain right now so

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okay so

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so what he is not debating and what I

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don't have any reason to believe has

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changed at this point is that the the

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the betting according to mitah Hera's

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first interview began in 2021 after he

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meets this

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bookmaker um at a poker game uh in San

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Diego at a hotel after they had played

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the Padres and um he he begins placing

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the bets in

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2021 uh through 2022 he gets

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increasingly uh in over his head he

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calls himself a terrible Gambler um he

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he is now beginning to really get in

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trouble uh by

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2023 in his first version of the story

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which he then recanted he goes to Otani

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in

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2023 however uh the payments according

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to my sourcing that come out of the

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account that has the name show he Otani

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on it uh were were being made in

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2023 and the the that jives with what

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mahura uh told me in that first

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interview um he was he was vague on

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dates but I saw a wire transfer from

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September and I saw a wire transfer from

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October Tisha what I've been told I've

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been told there's more than more than

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what I saw pardon me yeah Tisha what

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have you learned about uh the the guy

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running the book making operation and

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any sort of contact that he may or may

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not have had with Otani directly or does

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it sound like that was all with mizuhara

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okay thank you for that because I think

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it's really really important that the

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lawyer representing the bookmaker says

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that the bookmaker never spoke or had

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contact uh with Otani I've been told uh

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from multiple sources that the bookmaker

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only dealt with uh

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mahura so I've never made a a lot of

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major wire transfers in my life I don't

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I don't roll quite that deep but I've

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got friends who who occasionally make

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wire transfers and my understanding is

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you got to approve them verbally right

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like they they go through a bunch of

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different checks when you make a wire

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transfer it's not just that you have to

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have the account and the routing number

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and all that because obviously it's

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plausible that Otani could have given

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that to his to his interpreter but do

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you know how much do you know about just

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the way wire transfers are approved

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I'm not a

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banker um that

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is one of I so here's what I don't want

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to do I don't want to speculate about

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what did and didn't happen um there are

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two people who you would think would

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know and that's Otani and mahura I I I

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will be interested to see if there are

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more people that begin to ask questions

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about that as as as otani's lawyers said

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to us yesterday and have said to many

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people now

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um through media Outlets that there are

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allegations of um massive theft to use

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their words and that they're sending it

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to the authorities so that's those are

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the questions that we're trying to

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figure out ourselves Tisha last question

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for me I'm just curious what has been

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the MLB's response so far if

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any so um there's not a ton of precedent

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for this uh unlike you know say doping

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or drug use where you know there's

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there's it's a pretty cut and dry this

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is what happens if you get caught with

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MLB there's just not a lot of precedents

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for this obviously everybody always

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talks about Pete Rose but in this modern

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era of sports betting There are rules

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and my understanding of the rules based

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on uh what a variety of people have told

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us is and and you can look up what the

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rules are as well is that you may not if

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you're an athlete with MLB you may not

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use a bookmaker you cannot do that you

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can't use a a bookie um you may never

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bet on baseball I mean Pete Rose right

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do not bet on baseball but beyond

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baseball if bookmaking is legal my

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understanding is is that athletes can do

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that you can't use a bookie you can't

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bet on baseball but you can bet because

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it's now legal um in sports bet I should

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say um

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so we are very curious to know what's

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going to happen here um mahura got fired

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like instantly I mean it was fast um I

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think I got the statement and he'd been

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fired within just a couple hours from

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getting the statement um

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and there's also you know questions

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about what's happening with the federal

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investigation and my understanding based

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on the sourcing we have right now is

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that the is MLB is closely following

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what the feds are doing and and maybe

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taking their cues from what develops

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with the federal investigation they want

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to know what the feds have I suspect is

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what's going on so let me ask you this

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final question I know you got a run and

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and we do as well and we really

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appreciate just awesome work and and

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glad to make your acquaintance here on

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the air I wish we'd uh I'm sorry comes

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under these sort of weird circumstances

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but if that's all right it's what I do I

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tend to meet people when you know

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there's news like that I love it what

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questions are you going to be asking

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next like what information would you

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like yeah yeah I right now I'm I'm

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really trying to figure out you know

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when I'm not talking to you guys what

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I'm trying to do is figure out which

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authorities have been contacted we have

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a source close to what's going on uh

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with knowledge who's who told who told

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me yesterday when all of this was

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breaking that um It's Complicated

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because so many of the people that you

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know would be part of all of this are

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currently in South Korea you know the

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Padre is and the Dodgers just played

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their second game this morning if you're

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on Eastern time um and that game just

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concluded what like an hour or two ago

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so um you so you've got the Dodgers

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organization there you've got um a lot

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of PE I shouldn't say a lot of people

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but you have people who are otani's Camp

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you know the people that support him I

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mean he is a major league star so he's

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got people and then you have Otani and

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mahara both also still in South Kore

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Korea um so we're trying to figure that

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out we're obviously following the

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federal investigation it it's important

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to mention um the bookmaker has not been

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charged with anything that we are aware

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of at this point um and

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uh we were told yesterday that neither

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Otani nor mahara have been asked any

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questions by federal authorities uh so I

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just want to make sure that's all clear

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out there that this is this investig we

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want to know what's going on I think as

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much as anybody crazy what a story thank

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you so much uh let's stay in touch Cu uh

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as this story develops something tells

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me there may be more to this story that

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will come out here over the course of

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the next I think I'll be reporting on

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this for a while yeah this is like the

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type of thing that uh yeah it's pretty

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awesome good for you we appreciate it

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let's talk again thank you so much Tish

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thank you for having me thank you for

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having me there's Tisha Thompson from

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ESPN she's uh the investigative reporter

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who broke this story and uh pretty

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interesting now I get

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it

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