Ippei Mizuhara, the friend and former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, has pleaded guilty to stealing millions from Ohtani to cover gambling debts, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.
Mizuhara, 39, faces up to 33 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud (30 years) and one count of subscribing to a false tax return (3) years.
The Japanese interpreter is expected to enter a plea deal.
“The extent of this defendant’s deception and theft is massive,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said. “He took advantage of his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit. My office is committed to vindicating victims throughout our community and ensuring that wrongdoers face justice.”
Ippei Mizuhara, the translator for Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels, stands in the dugout during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 22, 2022, in Anaheim, California. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The plea agreement states that the ruse began in Arizona in 2018 after Mizuhara helped Ohtani – who doesn’t speak English – set up a bank account. In September 2021, Mizuhara started gambling on sporting events with an illegal bookmaker and quickly rang up a series of debts that he could not pay. However, Mizuhara possessed the log-in information from the bank account he had helped set up for Ohtani.
“Unable to pay his gambling debts, Mizuhara orchestrated a scheme to deceive and cheat the bank to fraudulently obtain money from the account,” the DOJ states.
Specifically, Mizuhara cheated the bank by changing the security information so that, after he took money out of the account, the bank employees would contact him instead of Ohtani. Moreover, according to the plea agreement, Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani on the telephone 24 times in conversations with the bank.
Shohei Ohtani poses for a photo with his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (R) and agent Nez Balelo (L) after being introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Reports indicate that from November 2021 to March 2024, Mizuhara made 40 different wire transactions in which he paid nearly $17 million to associates of the bookmaker without the permission of Ohtani.
In 2022, Mizuhara also failed to report $4.1 million in income.
On March 25, Ohtani addressed Mizuhara’s theft with reporters. “I am very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this,” the Dodgers slugger said.
Mizuhara’s arraignment is scheduled for May 14.