“Ex-Interpreter for Shohei Ohtani Jailed for Nearly 5 Years After Stealing $17M to Cover Gambling Debts”
Ippei Mizuhara, 39, the former interpreter and unofficial manager of MLB sensation Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to embezzling $17 million from the star athlete to cover his mounting gambling losses. Mizuhara, who served as Ohtani’s translator and trusted confidant, was convicted of felony bank fraud and filing a false tax return after funneling the stolen funds into an illegal bookmaking operation.
Mizuhara’s criminal activities were uncovered when he used his access to Ohtani’s bank account, which he helped open in 2018, to deceive financial institutions and authorize wire transfers without the baseball star’s knowledge. The former interpreter then used the stolen money to settle substantial gambling debts he had racked up with a sports betting syndicate.
In addition to the prison sentence of four years and nine months, Mizuhara was ordered to pay restitution exceeding $18 million. Federal prosecutors emphasized that Ohtani was an unwitting victim, having never been involved in the scheme nor engaged in any illegal betting activities.
Ohtani, one of the most dominant players in Major League Baseball, recently signed a historic $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, further cementing his legacy as a transcendent talent. Despite this financial windfall, Ohtani remains an innocent bystander to Mizuhara’s criminal actions.
Leave a Reply