Ex-interpreter for Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17 million from pitcher
Shohei Ohtani‘s former interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to two federal charges for stealing nearly $17 million from the Dodger slugger’s bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Ippei Mizuhara, 39, of Newport Beach, is expected to plead guilty to one count each of bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The bank fraud charge carries a possible prison term of up to 30 years, while the tax charge carries up to three years in federal prison.
A date has not yet set for him to enter the plea. His initial arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14.
“The extent of this defendant’s deception and theft is massive,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “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.”
Ohtani was charged last month with bank fraud and surrendered to federal authorities on April 12. He was released on $25,000 bond.
Shohei Ohtani poses for a photo with his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (R) after being introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Dec. 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, leave after a news conference March 16, 2024, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. Mizuhara has been charged with federal bank fraud for crimes involving gambling debts and theft of millions of dollars from the slugger. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stands in the dugout during an opening day baseball game against the San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Ohtani’s interpreter and close friend has been fired by the Dodgers following allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, left, is shown walking with his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, right, during a spring training workout at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, earlier this year. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, and his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, are seen Saturday, March 16, 2024, at a news conference at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers after allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara sit in the dugout during the season opener against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers following allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani poses for a portrait during a spring training baseball team photo day at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. His interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is at left. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, left, and his translator Ippei Mizuhara, right, addresses the media about Ohtani’s surprise marriage announcement, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, during spring training baseball workouts at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, attends a Los Angeles Rams football game with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, right, is seen Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. Mizuhara loved soccer and video games while a student at Diamond Bar High School. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, speaks to the media with help from interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (File photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, right, stands in the dugout with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, left, talks with interpreter Ippei Mizuhara as he waits to hit during batting practice Friday, July 7, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani talks with Dino Ebel through translator Ippei Mizuhara during a game at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. (File photo by Kevin Sullivan/Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shohei Ohtani, right, of the Los Angeles Dodgers speaks to the media with the help of his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during DodgerFest a celebration of the upcoming season with live entertainment, behind-the-scenes experiences, food, drinks and meeting the newest Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 3, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani talks with Dino Ebel through his translator Ippei Mizuhara during their game against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Orange County Register/SCNG)
Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani, center, watches along with Flea, left, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during the second half of Friday’s game between the Lakers and the Washington Wizards at Staples Center. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani smiles at his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara during a press conference at the Phoenix Marriott Tempe at The Buttes after the first official Spring Training workout for pitchers and catchers in Tempe, Ariz. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Orange County Register/SCNG)
When the criminal case was announced, Estrada said Mizuhara had an “insatiable appetite” for illegal sports betting, which landed him millions of dollars in debt to a bookmaker and led him to transferring money out of Ohtani’s bank account without his knowledge.
Mizuhara worked as an interpreter for Ohtani since the slugger joined the Angels organization six years ago. In that capacity, he helped Ohtani set up a bank account in Arizona, which eventually became the source of wire transfers to the illegal gambling operation, Estrada said.
Estrada stressed that Ohtani was a victim in the case and had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s actions.
According to Estrada, Mizuhara also allegedly lied to bank officials, and he 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.”
Estrada said Mizuhara’s acted “to plunder” Ohtani’s bank account to satisfy his “insatiable appetite for illegal sports betting,” and he “committed fraud on a massive scale.”
According to an affidavit filed in federal court by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations special agent Chris Seymour, records obtained from a source within the illegal gambling operation showed that between December 2021 and January 2024, about 19,000 wagers were attributed to Mizuhara, averaging roughly 25 per day and ranging in amounts from about $10 to $160,000.
During that period, the records showed Mizuhara had winning bets worth nearly $142.3 million and losing bets of $182.9 million, leaving him with a roughly $40.7 million deficit.
Seymour wrote in the document that Mizuhara was acting as a “de facto manager” for Ohtani, and he began placing bets with the illegal gambling operation in late 2021. About that time, bank records showed that the contact information on the Arizona bank account, which was opened in March 2018, was changed to a phone number and email linked to Mizuhara.
The Dodgers fired Mizuhara earlier this year when news of the criminal investigation broke.
At a subsequent news conference, Ohtani denied any knowledge of Mizuhara’s actions. He also vehemently denied that he was involved in any gambling activity.
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or never have asked somebody to bet on my behalf,” he insisted.
Ohtani said Mizuhara “has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter charged with stealing from pitcher
Estrada said none of the illegal bets allegedly placed by Mizuhara were on baseball games.
According to various reports, wire transfers were made from Ohtani’s bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation allegedly run Orange County resident Mathew Bowyer, who is under federal investigation.
Bowyer’s San Juan Capistrano home was searched by federal agents last year.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that Mizuhara also took money from Ohtani’s account to pay other expenses, including $60,000 in dental work and $325,000 worth of baseball cards.
The false tax return charge stems from 2022, when Mizuhara falsified his taxable income by claiming only $136,865, when in fact the figure was more than $4.1 million stemming from his bank fraud, prosecutors said. He admits in his plea agreement that he owes more than $1.1 million in taxes for 2022.
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