Ippei Mizuhara’s role as an interpreter served to bridge the communication gap between baseball star Shohei Ohtani and his English-speaking teammates and fans as they traveled from Southern California to ballparks across the United States.
Instead, Mizuhara used the Japanese-English language barrier to isolate Ohtani and capitalize on his proximity to the two-way player’s power. On Tuesday, the former interpreter pleaded guilty in federal court in Santa Ana, California, to bank and tax fraud for diverting over $17 million from the athlete’s Arizona bank account.
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He used the money to pay off his rising gambling debts and bets with an illegal bookmaker, as well as $325,000 in baseball cards and, much to the surprise of prosecutors, his own medical costs.
“In fact, after we announced the charges, we only discovered more fraud in this case,” stated Martin Estrada, United States Attorney for the Central District of California. “We discovered that Mr. Mizuhara had abused Mr. Ohtani to the point where he refused to pay for dental work.” He took money from Mr. Ohtani to cover his own dental needs.”
The case involves probably the world’s most well-known baseball player and the sport’s most valuable voice. Despite the international media frenzy, Tuesday’s 45-minute hearing was very routine: the courtroom referred to Ohtani as “Victim A,” and the ex-interpreter simply spoke to admit his guilt.
“I worked for Victim A, had access to his bank account, and had fallen into major gambling debt,” Mizuhara stated to the jury. “I went ahead and wired money to his bank account.”
He and his counsel declined to speak following the hearing.
Inside baseball, Mizuhara was by Ohtani’s side for many of the Japanese sensation’s career highlights, from serving as his catcher during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game to his two American League MVP wins and his record-breaking $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.
Off the field, Mizuhara became Ohtani’s companion and confidant. During the 2021 MLB lockout, Mizuhara resigned from the Los Angeles Angels to maintain communication with Ohtani. After reaching an agreement, they rehired him, and their wives appeared to interact.
However, Mizuhara squandered it all away, spending tens of millions of dollars that were not his on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and college football, despite the fact that prosecutors said he never wagered on baseball.
Despite his celebrity, Ohtani, according to US Attorney Estrada, is particularly vulnerable.
“Mr. Ohtani is an immigrant who came to this country, is unfamiliar with its ways, and thus was easily preyed upon by someone who was more familiar with our financial systems,” Estrada said at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles after the hearing.
Federal prosecutors claim that Mizuhara’s scheme started in 2021 when he switched Ohtani’s bank account’s contact information to his own, causing Ohtani to receive all communications from the financial institution directly.
Mizuhara used the language barrier to prevent Ohtani’s financial advisers from comprehending their client, and at times, he even impersonated the player at the bank to extend the deception.
Mizuhara was able to steal just about $17 million from the account from 2021 to early this year, which he had helped Ohtani open in Phoenix in 2018 to deposit his wages.
Mizuhara’s winning wagers totaled more than $142 million, which he deposited into his personal bank account rather than Ohtani’s. But his losing bets totaled roughly $183 million, resulting in a net loss of nearly $41 million.
Last month, Mizuhara reached a settlement with the US Attorney’s Office, which anticipated his guilty plea on Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries up to 30 years in federal prison, and one count of filing a false tax return, which could result in up to three years in prison.
We plan to hold the sentence hearing in October. Mizuhara could potentially owe Ohtani approximately $17 million in restitution and more than $1 million in tax payments. Mizuhara, a legal permanent resident with a green card, could potentially face return to Japan.
The inquiry into Mizuhara was part of a larger investigation into illicit sports betting operations in Southern California and money laundering through Las Vegas casinos. Overall, officials have apprehended a dozen defendants.
There was no proof that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, but the player cooperated with the investigation. He expressed relief following Tuesday’s hearing and, in a statement, thanked his team, family, and the Dodgers organization for their “unending support throughout this process.”
“It’s time to close this chapter, move on, and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames,” he stated.
In late March, the Los Angeles Times and ESPN reported on the prosecution, forcing the Dodgers to terminate the translator and the MLB to launch its own investigation.
While prosecutors claim Mizuhara never bet on baseball, MLB rules prohibit players and team workers from placing wagers with illicit or offshore bookmakers.
MLB also prohibits wagering on baseball, even legally. Following yet another gambling incident on Tuesday, hours before Mizuhara’s hearing, MLB banned Tucupita Marcano, a San Diego Padres infielder, from baseball for life.
According to the MLB, Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from July to November with a regulated bookmaker. He became the first active player in a century to receive a permanent gambling ban. Four others were suspended on Tuesday.
