The former interpreter for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is set for sentencing Thursday for bank and tax fraud in the theft of nearly $17 million from the three-time Major League Baseball MVP's bank account.
Ippei Mizuhara was scheduled for sentencing early Thursday afternoon in Orange County in the stunning scandal involving a man who was part of the inner circle of one the world's most famous athletes. Federal authorities are seeking a prison sentence of four years and nine months. Prosecutors also want Mizuhara to pay $17 million in restitution to Ohtani and $1 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty last year to bank and tax fraud. He was accused of stealing large amounts of money to cover his sports gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker in Southern California.
The money also was used to purchase $325,000 worth of valuable baseball cards, prosecutors and Ohtani's legal team said.
Mizuhara served as an interpreter between Ohtani and his English-speaking teammates and fans, but authorities said he took advantage of the baseball star's trust that was built over the years as they traveled to ballparks throughout the United States. The Mizuhara case came to light as part of a larger investigation into illegal sports bookmaking organizations in Southern California and the laundering of proceeds through casinos in Las Vegas that has netted a dozen defendants.
"His years-long theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani and the myriad lies he told to Mr. Ohtani’s agents and financial advisors to cover up his theft represent a calculated betrayal of the very person he was hired to help," prosecutors wrote in court papers.
In a letter to the court, Mizuhara described his financial strain and addiction to gambling, which he had hoped would alleviate his money problems. He also expressed remorse.
"I am asking for a little mercy from the court concerning my sentence you will hand down," Mizuhara wrote. "I truly admire Shohei as a baseball player and a human being and I was committed to devote my life so Shohei can be the best version of himself on the field. I want to say I am truly sorry for violating his trust in me."
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Ohtani was an unknowing victim of the scheme, prosecutors said.
"Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant’s conduct," prosecutors wrote in court filings.
Prosecutors accused Mizuhara of placing a staggering number of bets using money stolen from a longtime friend and one of the world's most popular and well-paid athletes to support a "voracious appetite" for sports betting. The allegations against the Orange County man were outlined in a lengthy criminal complaint in support of federal bank fraud charge.
A day after the federal charges were announced in April, Mizuhara apologized to Ohtani in a statement made through his attorney that indicated a deal was likely. Attorney Michael G. Freedman issued the statement, saying Mizuhara hopes to “reach an agreement with the government to resolve this case as quickly as possible so that he can take responsibility.” He further added Mizuhara “wishes to apologize to Mr. Ohtani, the Dodgers, Major League Baseball, and his family.”
According to the criminal complaint filed in the gambling scandal, Mizuhara placed about 19,000 wagers between December 2021 and January 2024 with nearly 25 bets per day on average. The wagers ranged in value from roughly $10 to $160,000 per bet, with an average bet amount of roughly $12,800.
Mizuhara's winning bets totaled more than $142,256,000 and losing bets about $182,935,000. Total losses amounted to more than $40,679,000, the affidavit said.
The complaint, written by an IRS senior special agent, cites wire transfers, text messages, phone records and interviews. In a text message to a bookmaker, Mizuhara admitted that he was stealing the money from Ohtani's account, prosecutors said. The investigation into Mizuhara was part of a larger probe involving illegal gambling operations.
Prosecutors have said there is no evidence Ohtani authorized the transfers from his account and characterized the baseball superstar as a victim in the case. Ohtani reportedly has been assisting authorities with the investigation.
The records do not indicate any bets on baseball. League Rule 21 states that players and team employees are prohibited from placing wagers, even legal bets, on baseball and from wagering with illegal or offshore bookmakers. It also mentions the possible punishments, which may be largely left up to the league's front office.
The scandal broke in mid-March after Mizuhara was fired for an alleged theft from Ohtani's bank accounts to cover illegal gambling losses. Those gambling debts were to an illegal bookmaker in Orange County who was under IRS investigation.
Ohtani and his attorneys have maintained that he was completely unaware of the “massive theft" until the news came to light in the spring when the Dodgers were opening the 2024 season in South Korea against the Padres. Ohtani went on to win his first World Series with the Dodgers and third MVP award, his first in the National League.
Major League Baseball launched its own investigation concurrent to the federal one by the IRS.
If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org, and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.
