Last Thursday, Ippei Mizuhara, who previously served as an interpreter for Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was accused of federal bank fraud after allegedly using Ohtani's account to pay off his substantial gambling obligations without authorization.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mizuhara is accused of posing as Ohtani on the phone and deceiving bank employees to gain approval for transferring over $16 million.
Ohtani had hired Mizuhara since his arrival in the U.S. to help navigate the language barrier during his baseball career, but the interpreter's actions have led him to face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced that Mizuhara allegedly plundered over $40.7 million from Ohtani's account through winning bets of $142.3 million and losing bets of $182.9 million.
in order to plunder Mr. Ohtani's bank account. Estrada also confirmed that when Mizuhara would win on sports bets, he did not deposit the money into Ohtani's account.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada
Mizuhara began placing bets with the illegal gambling operation around late 2021, and as his losses grew larger, he lied to Ohtani and claimed that he was managing his finances responsibly.
It wasn't until news of the scandal broke last month that Mizuhara confessed to his actions in a text message to the bookmaker and admitted to stealing money from Ohtani.
Our investigation has revealed that due to the position of trust (Mizuhara) occupied with Mr. Ohtani, Mr. Mizuhara had unique access to Mr. Ohtani's finances
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada
The investigation also revealed that Mizuhara had been making wire transfers from Ohtani's account to an illegal bookmaking operation run by Mathew Bowyer, who is currently under federal investigation.
In a statement, MLB said they would wait for the resolution of the criminal proceedings before determining whether further action was necessary, as it is against their rules to bet on baseball or whatever sport with illegal bookmakers.
After months of speculation, Ohtani officially parted ways with the Angels in December, signing an unprecedented $700 million deal with the Dodgers.
Despite the circumstances, Ohtani has cooperated fully with investigators and maintains that he was unaware of Mizuhara's actions until they were brought to his attention last month.
Misplaced Trust
"I am very saddened and shocked someone whom I trusted has done this," Ohtani said through a new interpreter at a press conference.
The Los Angeles Times and ESPN had initially reported on the scandal, with Mizuhara admitting to his actions in an interview with ESPN before later retracting his statement and claiming that he had only asked Ohtani for permission to pay off his debts.
In the role of Ohtani's manager towards the end of 2021, Mizuhara started making wagers at the gambling establishment.
was captured on tape-recorded calls impersonating Ohtani to “convince the bank to approve large wire transfers of large amounts of money to the bookmakers
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada
Federal investigators believe that Mizuhara's actions represent "one of the largest sports-related fraud cases" in California history.
MLB is conducting its own investigation into the matter, but it remains unclear how Ohtani and the Dodgers will be affected by the allegations.
Ohtani's baseball salary prior to joining the Dodgers totaled around $40 million, and he is expected to earn tens of millions more from endorsements each year.
According to reports, Mizuhara is said to have made approximately 19,000 bets during the period from December 2021 to January 2024.
The investigation has sent shockwaves through the sports community and raised questions about the role of gambling in professional sports.
Major League Baseball is known for having strict rules against players and team employees wagering on baseball or other sports with illegal bookmakers.
Goldman Sachs anticipates that the legal sports betting industry will grow into a market worth $45 billion. However, the issue of illicit gambling continues to pose a challenge for sports bodies and law enforcement authorities.
Amidst the unfolding legal drama surrounding his ex-interpreter's bank fraud charges, Shohei Ohtani stays dedicated to his professional pursuits with the Los Angeles Dodgers, aiming to make a significant impact on and off the field.
