Former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, has reached an agreement to plead guilty to bank fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice has revealed that Mizuhara embezzled nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover his own gambling debts.
Mizuhara, aged 39, has reached an agreement to plead guilty to bank fraud, which can result in a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Additionally, he has also agreed to plead guilty to subscribing to a false tax return, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to three years. These developments were confirmed by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Mizuhara is anticipated to formally enter his plea in the upcoming weeks, with an arraignment scheduled for May 14, as stated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Related posts
“The defendant’s deception and theft were of significant magnitude,” stated U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “He exploited his trusted position to prey on Mr. Ohtani and sustain a hazardous gambling addiction. Our office is dedicated to seeking justice for victims within our community and holding wrongdoers accountable.”
In the plea agreement, it was revealed that Mizuhara assisted Ohtani, who doesn’t speak English, in creating a bank account in Phoenix in 2018. During this process, Mizuhara provided interpretation services for the player’s account login information. However, in September 2021, Mizuhara began placing sports bets with an illegal bookmaker, resulting in a significant amount of debt.
According to the DOJ, Mizuhara devised a plan to deceive and cheat the bank in order to fraudulently acquire money from the account due to his inability to pay his gambling debts.
According to the plea agreement, Mizuhara gained access to Ohtani’s bank account and modified the security information to ensure that the bank would contact him instead of Ohtani when verifying wire transfers from the account. Additionally, Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani in 24 calls to the bank.
According to the plea agreement, Mizuhara transferred almost $17 million from the account to associates of the bookmaker in over 40 wires without Ohtani’s permission between November 2021 and March 2024.
In the plea agreement, Mizuhara also acknowledged falsely stating that his total taxable income for 2022 amounted to $136,865. However, it was later revealed that he had neglected to report an additional $4.1 million in income.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the unreported income originated from his fraudulent scheme targeting the bank. The DOJ highlighted that he has an outstanding tax liability of approximately $1,149,400 for the tax year 2022, along with additional interest and penalties.
Estrada has emphasized that Ohtani is a victim in the case and has fully and completely cooperated in the investigation.
The Dodgers made the decision to terminate their Japanese interpreter on March 20, following the emergence of the gambling controversy. Although the team did not disclose the exact reason for Mizuhara’s dismissal.
Mizuhara faced charges in the case last month. After his first appearance in federal court on April 12, his attorney, Michael Freedman, expressed in a statement to ABC News that Mizuhara remains cooperative with the legal process. He is optimistic about reaching an agreement with the government to swiftly resolve the case and hold himself accountable.
The statement further expressed his desire to apologize to Mr. Ohtani, the Dodgers, Major League Baseball, and his family. It also mentioned his commitment to seeking treatment for his gambling, as highlighted during the court proceedings.
During a press conference on March 25, Ohtani openly discussed the scandal for the first time. Expressing his feelings through an interpreter, he expressed deep sadness and shock, stating, “I am greatly disappointed that someone I placed my trust in has committed such an act.”
