A federal judge in Los Angeles has ordered Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, to undergo treatment for gambling addiction. Mizuhara is accused of exploiting his personal and professional relationship with Ohtani to steal money from the player’s bank account over several years. He allegedly impersonated Ohtani to bankers to withdraw large sums of money to cover his gambling losses.
Mizuhara turned himself in ahead of his initial court appearance and is facing one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Prosecutors have stated that there is no evidence to suggest that Ohtani was aware of or involved in Mizuhara’s gambling activities. Ohtani is said to be cooperating with investigators.
During the court appearance, Mizuhara did not enter a plea, and the criminal complaint filed against him detailed the alleged scheme using evidence such as text messages, financial records, and recordings of phone calls. While Mizuhara made over $142 million in winning bets, he lost around $183 million, resulting in a net loss of nearly $41 million.
Following news of the federal investigation, Mizuhara messaged his bookmaker admitting to stealing from Ohtani. Major League Baseball launched its own investigation into the matter, leading the Dodgers to fire Mizuhara immediately. Copyright 2024 AP. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
