Ippei Mizuhara, who worked alongside Ohtani for years, pleaded guilty to two counts related to the theft of nearly $17 million from the baseball star. He could face up to 33 years in prison.
Ippei Mizuhara outside federal court in May, when he agreed to plead guilty to two counts related to the transfer of nearly $17 million from the bank account of baseball star Shohei Ohtani. On Tuesday, he formally entered the guilty plea at a courthouse in Orange County, Calif.
For six years, Mizuhara had worked as Ohtani's interpreter and personal assistant after the elite two-way star left his home country of Japan to join the MLB's Los Angeles Angels in 2018.But in 2021, Mizuhara became entangled in sports gambling.
Phone records from Mizuhara's device show that he contacted bookmakers regularly beginning in 2021, according to prosecutors. His text messages show the rapidly growing size and frequency of payments for his gambling debt: first $15,000, then $50,000, then $300,000, then half a million each week by 2023.
Court records show that a sportsbook based in southern California had been the target of investigation by the IRS and Department of Homeland Security since at least 2023, when a federal judge authorized a search warrant of the bookmaker's home.Mizuhara's sentencing is set for Oct. 25. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, while the charge related to his tax return has a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting caseLOS ANGELES (AP) — 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 where prosecutors allege he stol…
Read more »
Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former translator, to plead guilty to bank fraudIppei Mizuhara has aggreged to plead guilty to bank fraud, for stealing nearly $17 million from his former friend, MLB star Shohei Ohtani.
Read more »
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting caseThe former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case.
Read more »
Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17M from playerShohei Ohtani's former longtime interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to charges for illegally transferring almost $17 million from the Dodgers star's bank account.
Read more »
Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17M from playerShohei Ohtani's former longtime interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to charges for illegally transferring almost $17 million from the Dodgers star's bank account.
Read more »
Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17M from playerShohei Ohtani's former longtime interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to charges for illegally transferring almost $17 million from the Dodgers star's bank account.
Read more »