LOS ANGELES – The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case, federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday. Ippei Mizuhara is accused of stealing nearly US$17 million from Ohtani to pay off debts, shocking baseball fans in the U.S. and Japan.
Mizuhara will plead guilty to bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return, facing a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for the bank fraud charge and up to three years for the tax return charge. He will also be required to pay Ohtani restitution and over US$1 million to the IRS.
Prosecutors revealed that Mizuhara exploited his relationship with Ohtani to steal millions from the player’s account, using the money for gambling. While Mizuhara won over US$142 million from bets, he lost around US$183 million, with a net loss of nearly US$41 million. Ohtani was not involved in the gambling scheme and is cooperating with investigators.
The news of Mizuhara’s prosecution was first reported by the Los Angeles Times and ESPN in March, leading to the Dodgers firing the interpreter and MLB opening an investigation. MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from betting on baseball, even legally.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Ohtani has remained focused on the field, recently tying Hideki Matsui for the most home runs by a Japan-born player in MLB history. Mizuhara is currently free on bond, with conditions including undergoing gambling addiction treatment.