Tamra Judge slams ‘RHOC’ co-star Ryan Boyajian’s alleged connection to MLB gambling scandal: ‘Disgusting’
Tamra Judge reacted to her “Real Housewives of Orange County” co-star Ryan Boyajian’s alleged million-dollar MLB gambling scandal.
“I didn’t sign up for ‘Mob Wives.’ I signed up for ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County,'” she said on Monday’s episode of her iHeartRadio “Two T’s in a Pod” podcast.
“This is dark. This is heavy. This is disgusting.”
Judge, 56, revealed that filming for Season 18 resumed in light of Boyajian’s alleged scandal.
“You guys, it’s bad,” the Bravo star continued. “I’m not the one that actually brought it up on the show … originally.”
In response to the podcast episode, Boyajian’s lawyer, Steven Katzman, tells Page Six, “While we continue to take the position that we cannot comment in light of the active investigation of which my client is cooperating, I will state that I suspect Ms. Judge does not know anywhere close to all of the facts, mischaracterizes in podcast what she does with inflammatory rhetoric and should refrain from commenting publicly on the same until she does.”
Earlier this month, news broke that Boyajian, who is engaged to Jennifer Pedranti, was allegedly involved in the theft scheme along with Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter.
On May 8, ESPN reported that Boyajian, 46, received a wire transfer from interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, 39, to settle his gambling debts.
Later that day, Mizuhara agreed to confess to stealing around $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account and plead guilty to two federal charges, per the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Under the plea deal, he can face more than 30 years in prison.
The interpreter used the stolen funds to pay off his gambling debts and was told by his illegal bookmaker that he could wire money to “Associate 1,” whom ESPN identified as Boyajian.
“Mizuhara regularly logged into Ohtani’s bank account and initiated wire transfers from the account to the bookmaker and his associates as payments for gambling debts,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada’s office wrote in a statement.
“For example, on June 20, 2023, Mizuhara accessed the account without Ohtani’s permission and transferred $500,000 to one of the bookmaker’s associates.”
Steven Katzman, Boyajian’s criminal attorney, revealed the reality star is working with federal authorities throughout the investigations.
“Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can’t confirm or deny what is going on,” Katzman told ESPN. “He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie.”
However, sources claimed he received immunity for his cooperation.
Mizuhara’s illegal bookmaker, who was identified as Mathew Bowyer by ESPN, reportedly spent payments sent by the interpreter in casino “marker” accounts along with Boyajian.
The outlet reported that they would deposit the payments, withdraw “the chips from the marker accounts,” gamble and cash out any winnings.
Boyajian made his debut on Season 17 of “RHOC” last year.
