In a shocking turn of events, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been accused of stealing over $16 million from Ohtani over two years to pay off gambling debts to an illegal sportsbook. Ippei Mizuhara, the accused, faces charges of bank fraud which could result in a maximum fine of up to $1 million and/or up to 30 years in prison. Ohtani, identified in the complaint as a “professional baseball player,” denied authorizing the transfers that Mizuhara made.
Text messages and bank records revealed that Mizuhara began gambling in 2021 and later changed the phone number and email associated with the account to his own. Mizuhara also allegedly posed as Ohtani in recorded phone calls to trick bank employees into authorizing transfers to a bookmaker. The investigation began after it was discovered that millions of dollars were transferred from Ohtani’s account to the bookmaking operation of Mathew Bowyer, triggering a federal investigation.
As the case unfolds, it has been revealed that Ohtani was unaware of Mizuhara’s actions and maintain his innocence in any gambling activities. The investigation involves various parties, including the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, the IRS, and the Department of Homeland Security, and has expanded into a larger money laundering and illegal gambling case in Las Vegas. With Mizuhara’s dismissal from the Dodgers and Ohtani claiming victimhood in this “massive theft,” the scandal continues to unravel with potentially far-reaching implications.
