Former Translator Stole Millions to Fuel Gambling Habit
Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star pitcher and hitter, was the victim of a major betrayal by his former interpreter. Ippei Mizuhara, who served as both translator and de facto manager for Ohtani, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to stealing nearly $17 million from the baseball player’s bank account.
Guilty Plea Part of Pre-Arranged Deal
According to U.S. prosecutors, Mizuhara entered a plea deal that had been announced last month. The 39-year-old admitted guilt to one count of bank fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Sentencing for these charges will take place on October 25th of this year.
Potential Penalties for Mizuhara
The plea deal details carry serious potential consequences for Mizuhara. A federal bank fraud conviction can lead to a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The tax offense, on the other hand, carries a maximum sentence of up to three years behind bars.
Mizuhara Embezzled Millions from Ohtani
Prosecutors allege that Mizuhara embezzled a significant amount of money from Ohtani’s bank account. He opened this account with Ohtani’s help back in 2018, in Phoenix. Mizuhara then allegedly transferred these funds, without Ohtani’s knowledge, to an illegal gambling operation. These transfers were used to cover Mizuhara’s own gambling debts.
Ohtani Not Implicated in Scheme
Authorities have emphasized that there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Ohtani. The baseball star, who recently signed a record-breaking $700 million contract with the Dodgers, has stated that he was unaware of the scheme and has never gambled on baseball.
