REVEALED: Shohei Ohtani's hotshot Hollywood lawyers have previously represented Prince Andrew, Russell Brand and a host of other scandalized celebs... as $700m Dodgers star's gambling probe rumbles on

Shohei Ohtani has hired a powerhouse Hollywood law firm in the wake of the Major League Baseball investigation into allegations against his longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.

The Dodgers fired Mizuhara earlier this month, with Ohtani accusing his friend and longtime interpreter of lying to him and stealing money from him to pay off alleged gambling debts.

The scandal has overshadowed the build up to Ohtani's first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after he signed a record $700million deal. 

He has denied any wrongdoing and last week a statement from Ohtani's lawyers read: 'We discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.'

The statement came from boutique firm Berk Brettler LLP, which was set up when two of the entertainment industry’s most high-profile and respected lawyers joined forces. They have worked for the likes of Prince Andrew, Russell Brand, Danny Masterson and Leonardo DiCaprio,

Andrew Brettler has built a fierce reputation as a go-to civil litigator, while Blair Berk is considered one of Hollywood's top criminal lawyers. Together they have represented some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports.

Berk worked for Julio Urias, the former Dodgers pitcher who was put on administrative leave last year after his arrest for domestic violence. Urías avoided felony charges and is now a free agent.

She also worked with the likes of DiCaprio, Channing Tatum, and Johnny Depp. Berk grilled Amber Heard as part of their high-profile abuse case.

Brettler, meanwhile, has helped entertainment stars including actresses Lindsay Lohan and Sydney Sweeney. 

They have both worked with Armie Hammer, The Social Network star who in 2021 was accused of rape and has faced allegations of having 'cannibalistic fantasies'.

Brettler has also defended a number of controversial clients including Masterson, the former TV star who was recently sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the rape of two women.

The lawyer was thrust into the spotlight, however, when he was hired by Prince Andrew after Virginia Giuffre brought a civil sexual assault case against the Royal, claiming he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17.

'Everything we did was under a microscope,' Brettler told the Hollywood Report. 'Every single decision we made was second- and triple-guessed and debated.' 

Prince Andrew settled the case in February 2022 for a reported $12 million with no admission of liability by the royal, who has consistently and vehemently denied all charges against him.

Earlier this year, Brand hired the 'pit bull' lawyer - who reportedly charges up to $2,000 an hour - to fight sex charges in the US.

Ohtani recently broke his silence on the scandal, saying he was 'very saddened and shocked' by Mizuhara, adding (through an interpreter), 'I never bet on baseball or any other sports and never asked someone to do it on my behalf and never went through a bookmaker.'

'In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies,' Ohtani said.

'I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf, and I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports.

'Up until a couple of days ago, I didn't even know that this was happening. Just to go over the result, in conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.'