Ex-Ohtani Interpreter May Face Deportation, Lengthy Jail Sentence After Guilty Plea
The post Ex-Ohtani Interpreter May Face Deportation, Lengthy Jail Sentence After Guilty Plea appeared first on SportsHandle.
Several months after revealing to Dodgers players that he orchestrated a brazen scheme to steal funds from star outfielder Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara broke his silence on Tuesday.
Mizuhara, a former interpreter of Ohtani, pleaded guilty in Southern California to one count of bank fraud and one count of filing a false tax return in connection with the multi-million dollar scheme. A close confidant of Ohtani, Mizuhara is accused of stealing approximately $17 million from the MLB star to wager on sports and repay considerable debts with an illegal California bookmaker.
Federal prosecutors accused Mizuhara of stealing millions from Ohtani’s Arizona bank account, an account the interpreter illegally accessed without Ohtani’s knowledge. At one point, Mizuhara used Ohtani’s password to successfully sign into the bank account and then modified the account’s security protocols without Ohtani’s knowledge or permission, prosecutors allege.
Appearing before Federal Magistrate John Holcomb, Mizuhara admitted to stealing from Ohtani, an individual identified in court records as “Victim A.”
“I worked for Victim A, had access to his bank account, and had fallen into major gambling debt,” Mizuhara told the judge during a 45-minute hearing. “I went ahead and wired money with his bank account.”
Millions in gambling losses
A two-time American League MVP, Ohtani is one of the most recognizable professional athletes in the world. Mizuhara revealed the plot to members of the Dodgers’ organization in March after a 5-2 win over the Padres in South Korea. The opening game of the Seoul Series garnered one of the highest ratings ever for a live sports event in Japan. Ohtani, the transcendent Japanese star, signed a record $700 million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason.
An accomplished pitcher, Ohtani finished fourth in the American League Cy Young race in 2021 when he recorded a 2.33 ERA and 15 victories. Ohtani is not pitching this year due to an elbow injury. Based on his dual talents, Ohtani has been described as a modern-day Babe Ruth.
Mizuhara, who previously worked for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, joined the Angels in 2018 when Ohtani signed with the team. Besides serving as Ohtani’s interpreter, Mizuhara became one of his closest friends, often preparing meals for the MLB star.
Over a three-year period through this January, Mizuhara made approximately 19,000 wagers on sports, with each bet averaging about $12,800, according to court filings. Mizuhara accumulated winning bets of $142.3 million, but incurred losses of about $182.9 million.
The former interpreter reportedly placed the wagers with an illegal sports betting ring operated by Matt Bowyer, an Orange County resident. A reputed VIP whale player in Las Vegas, Bowyer runs one of the nation’s largest betting-bookmaking operations, a source told Sports Handle.
Ohtani has vehemently denied placing wagers on sports and financing Mizuhara’s sports betting activities. Following the hearing on Tuesday, Ohtani indicated that Mizuhara’s admission has brought closure to a challenging period.
“Now that the investigation has been completed, this full admission of guilt has brought important closure to me and my family. I want to sincerely thank the authorities for finishing their thorough and effective investigation so quickly and uncovering all of the evidence,” Ohtani said in a statement.
Mizuhara and his attorney declined comment outside the courthouse in Santa Ana.
Possible deportation
Besides using the stolen proceeds for gambling, Mizuhara spent $325,000 on a collection of baseball cards and even used the funds for his own dental expenses, according to prosecutors. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada characterized Mizuhara’s deceptive acts as “massive,” adding that he took advantage of Ohtani to fuel a “dangerous gambling habit.”
“Mr. Mizuhara committed a massive fraud and fraud was committed against the one victim in this case — Shohei Ohtani,” Estrada told reporters after the hearing. “In fact, after we announced the charges, we only discovered more fraud.”
“We discovered Mr. Mizuhara had victimized Mr. Ohtani to the extent that he wouldn’t even pay for his dental fees. He stole money from Mr. Ohtani to pay for his own dental expenses.”
The Mizuhara case is part of a sweeping probe into illegal sports betting in California. To date, more than a dozen individuals have pleaded guilty in the matter, including Wayne Nix, an illegal bookmaker. Nix, a former minor league pitcher, is awaiting sentencing on federal tax evasion charges.
Last month, former MGM Grand President Scott Sibella was sentenced to probation for failure to file a suspicious transaction report on an illegal bookmaker. Sibella’s conviction stems from MGM’s compliance failings surrounding approximately $4 million in Nix wagers from ill-gotten funds, according to prosecutors. Sibella was terminated by Resorts World Las Vegas last fall for violating company policy.
An attorney for Sibella has indicated that his client has no connection with Mizuhara and no involvement in the bookmaking activities of Bowyer. However, an agent of Bowyer placed wagers with the operation run by Nix, a source informed Sports Handle in April. As of Wednesday, Bowyer has not been indicted in the case. Bowyer, according to ESPN, has about 600 sports betting clients. Mizuhara is by far the largest, a source told Sports Handle.
Mizuhara faces a maximum of 33 years in prison with up to 30 years on the bank fraud charge. He may receive a substantially reduced sentence due to his guilty pleas. Estrada also noted that Mizuhara will face a “risk of deportation,” but not until after he completes his sentence.
Mizuhara is scheduled to be sentenced in California federal court on October 25. The hearing is scheduled four weeks after a sentencing date for Nix in late September.
The post Ex-Ohtani Interpreter May Face Deportation, Lengthy Jail Sentence After Guilty Plea appeared first on SportsHandle.
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