Shohei Ohtani’s Ex-Interpreter Gets Almost Five Years in Prison for Scam

Ippei Mizuhara, who used to interpret for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will spend four years and nine months in federal prison. He admitted to stealing close to $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player. A Santa Ana court made this decision on February 6. The judge also told Mizuhara to pay back $18 million. Most of this money will go to Ohtani, and the rest to the Internal Revenue Service.

Trusted Aide Mizuhara Exploited Ohtani’s Trust

Mizuhara, Ohtani’s trusted helper and language interpreter, admitted guilt last year to bank fraud and false tax return charges. Prosecutors explained how he took advantage of his close ties to the Japanese baseball star. He exploited Ohtani’s limited English skills to gain unapproved access to his bank account. With this access, Mizuhara pretended to be Ohtani and approved many wire transfers to pay off his growing gambling debts with an illegal bookie.

US District Judge John W. Holcomb was amazed by how big the fraud was. He called the $17 million theft a “huge” amount that most people would not see in their whole life, reported the Associated Press. The judge hoped Mizuhara could pay back the stolen money someday, but he knew it might not happen.

At the sentencing, Mizuhara spoke to the court. He said sorry to Ohtani, the Dodgers, and his family. He owned up to what he did wrong and said he was ready to face what came next.

Prosecutors made it clear that Ohtani had no part in the illegal betting operation and was a victim in this situation. Acting US Attorney Joseph T. McNally slammed Mizuhara’s behavior saying he had “lied, cheated, and stolen,” betraying Ohtani’s faith in a way that was both brazen and destructive.

Mizuhara Drained Ohtani’s Funds for Sports Bets and Luxury Purchases

Legal papers showed Mizuhara had been draining money from Ohtani‘s account since 2021. He channeled cash to pay off his growing sports gambling debts and also spent big on fancy items, including $325,000 on baseball cards. Prosecutors confirmed Mizuhara bet on many sports, like soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and college football, but made it clear he never gambled on baseball.

The case stemmed from a wider federal probe into unlawful sports betting rings in Southern California, which involved the cleaning of gambling earnings through Las Vegas casinos. Officials think Mizuhara’s links to an illegal bookie put him in a setting where he got almost unlimited credit, which led to careless betting habits.

Mizuhara’s lawyer, Michael Freedman, had asked for a shorter jail term saying his client’s gambling problem was a big factor in what he did. However, federal prosecutors wanted a tougher sentence pointing out how it hurt Ohtani’s image and broke trust in a considerable way.

Along with his almost five-year jail term, Mizuhara got a three-year supervised release. People also think he might be kicked out of the country after he serves his time since he is a permanent resident but not a US citizen. The scandal cast a shadow over the Dodgers’ 2024 season. Mizuhara was in the team’s dugout for the first few games before they fired him. Even with all this drama, Ohtani and his team ended up winning the World Series, which made his reputation as one of the best players ever even stronger.