What you need to know
- Ippei Mizuhara, 39, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
- Shohei Otani's former interpreter could face up to 30 years in federal prison under a plea deal.
- The investigation into Mizuhara's sports betting was part of a larger investigation into illegal gambling operations.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's former translator pleads guilty to two federal charges for stealing nearly $17 million from the two-time MVP's bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts. The prosecutor announced that he had agreed to this.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Ippei Mizuhara, 39, could be sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison under the plea agreement.
Prosecutors said Mizuhara, a Newport Beach resident, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. He plans to file a petition in the coming weeks. Arraignment is scheduled for May 14.
NBCLA has reached out to representatives for Mizuhara and Ohtani for comment.
Prosecutors say he made a staggering number of purchases, using money stolen from his longtime friend and one of the world's most popular and highest-paid athletes, to support his “voracious appetite” for sports gambling. Mizuhara was accused of gambling. The charges against the Orange County man were outlined in a lengthy criminal complaint supporting federal bank fraud charges.
“The extent of this defendant's deception and theft is egregious,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Wednesday. “He used his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and fuel his dangerous gambling habits. We are committed to ensuring that we are exposed to
The day after the federal charges were announced in April, Mizuhara apologized to Ohtani through his lawyer in a written statement suggesting an agreement was likely. Attorney Michael G. Friedman said in a statement that he hopes Mizuhara “reaches an agreement with the government to resolve this case as soon as possible so that he can be held accountable.” Mizuhara added, “I would like to apologize to Mr. Ohtani, the Dodgers, Major League Baseball, and his family.''
According to a criminal complaint filed in the gambling scandal, Mizuhara placed approximately 19,000 bets between December 2021 and January 2024, averaging approximately 25 bets per day. Stakes ranged from about $10 per bet to $160,000, with the average bet being about $12,800.
Suwon's winning bets totaled more than $142,256,000, and his losing bets totaled approximately $182,935,000. Total losses amounted to more than $40.679 million, according to his affidavit.
The complaint, written by a senior IRS special agent, cites wire transfers, text messages, phone records and interviews. According to prosecutors, Mizuhara admitted in a text message to a bookmaker that he stole money from Otani's account. The investigation into Mizuhara was part of a larger investigation into illegal gambling operations.
Authorities have announced federal charges against Ippei Mizuhara for allegedly helping Shohei Ohtani open a bank account in 2018, NBC Los Angeles' Karma Dickerson reports.
Prosecutors said there was no evidence that Ohtani authorized the transfers from his account and that the baseball superstar was the victim of the incident. Otani is reportedly assisting authorities with their investigation.
Records do not show any bets on baseball.
The scandal broke in mid-March after Mizuhara was fired for allegedly stealing from Otani's bank account to cover illegal gambling losses. These gambling debts were directed to an illegal bookmaker in Orange County that was under investigation by the IRS.
According to prosecutors, when Otani opened an account in 2018, Mizuhara accompanied him to a bank branch in Arizona, and Mizuhara served as an interpreter for Otani to open the account. According to the affidavit, prosecutors say Otani's salary was deposited into the account and that he never gave Mizuhara control of the account or any other financial accounts.
Investigators believe that proceeds from Ohtani's sponsorship deals and investments were funneled into separate accounts.
Mizuhara then identified himself as Otani in communications with the bank, and the suspension of online banking on his account was lifted.
According to prosecutors, Mizuhara began gambling at illegal sportsbooks in 2021. A few months later, Ohtani began losing “substantial” amounts of money, and around the same time, the contact information on Ohtani's bank account was changed and linked to Mizuhara's phone number and anonymous email, prosecutors said.
Mizuhara told ESPN on March 19 that Ohtani had paid off his gambling debts at the request of an interpreter and that his bets were on international soccer, the NBA, NFL and college football. But the next day, ESPN reported that Mr. Mizuhara had significantly changed his story, claiming that Mr. Ohtani knew nothing about the gambling debt and had not sent any money to the bookmaker.
Ohtani and his lawyers have maintained that Ohtani had no knowledge of the “grand theft” until the news came to light during the Dodgers' season opener in South Korea against the San Diego Padres last month.
Major League Baseball has launched its own investigation in parallel with the federal investigation by the IRS.
Ohtani played throughout the investigation.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak with a counselor. Help is also available from the online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org. Additionally, additional resources can be found on the NCPG website.
