LOS ANGELES — A former interpreter for the acclaimed Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani is set to be sentenced on Thursday for committing bank and tax fraud, having misappropriated nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank accounts.
Federal prosecutors are advocating for a prison term of four years and nine months for Ippei Mizuhara, whose role was to facilitate communication between Ohtani and his English-speaking teammates and fans. Instead of fulfilling his duties, Mizuhara took advantage of the language gap to deceive Ohtani and benefit financially from their relationship.
Mizuhara, who is scheduled to appear in federal court in Santa Ana, California, entered a guilty plea last year for the charges of bank and tax fraud. He reportedly diverted funds to support his escalating gambling habits and debts associated with an illegal bookmaker, alongside other expenditures such as spending $325,000 on baseball cards and paying his dental bills.
This fraud case has drawn extensive media attention, considering Ohtani’s status as one of the most recognized names in baseball, having pitched for the Los Angeles Angels. The investigation formed part of a larger inquiry into illegal sports betting operations in Southern California and the laundering of funds through Las Vegas casinos that had resulted in a dozen other arrests.
In court documents, prosecutors expressed that Mizuhara’s prolonged embezzlement from Ohtani, coupled with the deception he employed to mislead Ohtani’s representatives, represented a significant betrayal toward the very person he was meant to assist.
The prosecution has requested Mizuhara to make restitution payments totaling $17 million back to Ohtani and an additional $1 million to the Internal Revenue Service. In a letter sent to the court, Mizuhara elaborated on his gambling addiction and the financial pressures that fueled his actions, while also expressing his respect for Ohtani and lamenting his betrayal.
“I am asking for a little mercy from the court concerning my sentence you will hand down,” he wrote. “I truly admire Shohei as a baseball player and a human being and I was committed to devote my life so Shohei can be the best version of himself on the field. I want to say I am truly sorry for violating his trust in me.”
Starting in 2021, Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s financial accounts and altered their security settings, allowing him to impersonate Ohtani and authorize unauthorized wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had spent about $325,000 on baseball cards from online retailers and gambled tens of millions of dollars on international sports events without any of Ohtani’s knowledge.
According to prosecutors, Mizuhara never wagered on baseball, and they firmly declared that Ohtani was an innocent victim of this scheme. “Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer harm from defendant’s conduct,” they stated in court filings.
Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael G. Freedman, characterized his client as a gambling addict who committed an “awful mistake.” He highlighted Mizuhara’s loss of employment and disrepute and noted that he accepts accountability for his actions. Freedman has requested a reduced sentence of one and a half years, stating that Mizuhara anticipates deportation back to Japan following his prison term.
Mizuhara, originally from Japan, relocated to California at the age of six. After overcoming challenges in learning English, he returned to Japan in 2013, where he worked as an interpreter for a Japanese baseball team before taking on the same role for Ohtani.
The pair developed a strong bond, leading Mizuhara to move with Ohtani to the United States in 2018, where he took on various personal tasks for the player. During Ohtani’s career milestones, Mizuhara was by his side, from catching for him during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game to celebrating his two American League MVP titles and witnessing Ohtani’s monumental $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Off the field, Mizuhara was not just an interpreter but a close confidant and friend to Ohtani. He famously resigned from the Los Angeles Angels during the 2021 MLB lockout to maintain contact with Ohtani, ultimately being rehired when an agreement was reached.
Recently, Ohtani and the Dodgers celebrated a World Series win, adding to Ohtani’s accolades, including his third Most Valuable Player award.
