Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account to pay off his own gambling debts. Mizuhara, age 39, has agreed to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, facing a maximum of 33 years in prison. The plea agreement states that Mizuhara fraudulently obtained $16.9 million from Ohtani’s account and admitted to falsely reporting his taxable income to the IRS in 2022, with $4.1 million in unreported income coming from Ohtani’s account.
Moreover, Mizuhara now owes around $1.1 million in taxes for 2022, excluding interest and penalties. Prosecutors revealed that Mizuhara began stealing from Ohtani after placing bets with an illegal bookmaker in September 2021, accruing significant debts. Mizuhara transferred $15 million to associates of the bookmaker over several months in 2022 and 2023, as well as an additional $1.25 million in late 2023 and early 2024, through 36 wire transfers.
Mizuhara’s arraignment is set for May 14 in Los Angeles. Ohtani’s contract with the Dodgers is valued at $700 million, making him the highest-paid athlete in U.S. sports history. In the past, Mizuhara claimed that Ohtani had agreed to cover his gambling debts and transferred the money himself, but later retracted the statement and admitted that Ohtani was unaware of the payments or debts. Ohtani’s representatives accused Mizuhara of stealing the player’s money, leading to Mizuhara’s termination from the Dodgers and legal charges.
This incident has shocked Ohtani, who has denied any involvement in sports betting or knowingly sending money to a bookmaker. News outlets such as ESPN have reported on Mizuhara’s misappropriation of Ohtani’s funds, including references to wire transfers to the account of a ‘Real Housewives’ star. This case highlights the importance of financial oversight and trust in professional relationships, especially in high-stakes industries like professional sports. As the legal proceedings unfold, it remains to be seen how Mizuhara’s actions will impact both his own future and Ohtani’s career.