By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and STEFANIE DAZIO (Associated Press)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The prior interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to admit guilt to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors claim he took nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to settle debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The controversy surrounding Ippei Mizuhara appalled baseball enthusiasts from the U.S. to Japan when the news emerged in March.
Mizuhara will confess to one charge of bank fraud and one charge of filing a false tax return, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, and the false tax return charge carries a sentence of up to three years in federal prison.
The plea agreement states that Mizuhara will be obliged to pay Ohtani restitution that could amount to nearly $17 million, as well as over $1 million to the IRS. Those amounts could change before sentencing.
Mizuhara will make his guilty plea in the coming weeks and is scheduled to appear in court on May 14, prosecutors said.
“The extent of this defendant’s deception and theft is massive,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “He took advantage of his position of trust to exploit Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit.”
Mizuhara took advantage of his personal and professional connection with Ohtani to plunder millions from the two-way player’s account for years, occasionally pretending to be Ohtani to bankers, according to prosecutors. Mizuhara’s successful bets amounted to over $142 million, which he deposited in his own bank account instead of Ohtani’s. However, his unsuccessful bets totaled about $183 million, resulting in a net loss of nearly $41 million. He did not place bets on baseball.
Mizuhara assisted Ohtani in opening a bank account in 2018 and began taking money from that account in 2021, as per the plea agreement. At one stage, Mizuhara altered the security measures, email, and phone number associated with it so that calls were directed to him instead of Ohtani, when the bank was attempting to verify wire transfers. Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani to the bank roughly 24 times, according to the agreement.
Mizuhara also confessed to falsifying his 2022 tax returns by underreporting his income by more than $4 million.
Mizuhara’s lawyer, Michael G. Freedman, did not comment on the agreement Wednesday.
There was no proof that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player is cooperating with investigators, authorities said.
The Los Angeles Times and ESPN revealed the news of the prosecution in late March, prompting the Dodgers to dismiss the interpreter and MLB to initiate its own investigation.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he had no comment on the plea deal Wednesday, adding, “I just hope it is more closure on the situation.”
MLB rules forbid players and team staff members from betting on baseball, even legally. MLB also prohibits gambling on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
Mizuhara has been released on an unsecured $25,000 bond, commonly referred to as a signature bond, which means he did not have to provide any cash or collateral to be released. If he violates the bond conditions — which include a requirement to undergo gambling addiction treatment — he will be liable for $25,000.
Ohtani has tried to concentrate on the field while the case goes through the courts. Shortly after his former interpreter appeared in court in April, he hit his 175th home run in MLB, tying Hideki Matsui for the most by a Japan-born player, during the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the San Diego Padres in 11 innings. 175th home run in MLB, tying Hideki Matsui for the most by a Japan-born player, during the Dodgers’ 8-7 loss to the San Diego Padres in 11 innings.
