Baseball star Ohtani’s ex-interpreter sentenced in sports betting case

SANTA ANA, Calif. — The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced Thursday to four years and nine months in prison and three years’ supervised release for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account.

Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana, California, after pleading guilty last year.

He was ordered Thursday to pay $18 million in restitution, with nearly $17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the IRS. He was ordered to surrender to authorities to begin serving his sentence by March 24.

“The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high,” U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb said upon issuing the sentence.

Holcomb said most people don’t make that much money in their lifetime.

“I hope that Mr. Mizuhara will be able to repay that sum,” Holcomb said. “That remains to be seen.”

Mizuhara has acknowledged using the money to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker, in addition to $325,000 worth of baseball cards and his own dental bills.

His attorney declined to comment after the hearing.

The case affected arguably the world’s most famous baseball player — who previously pitched for the Los Angeles Angels — and stoked an international media frenzy. It stemmed from a broader probe into illegal sports bookmaking organizations in Southern California and the laundering of proceeds through casinos in Las Vegas that has netted a dozen defendants.

“His years-long theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani and the myriad lies he told to Mr. Ohtani’s agents and financial advisors to cover up his theft represent a calculated betrayal of the very person he was hired to help,” prosecutors wrote in court papers.

In a letter to the court, Mizuhara described his financial strain and addiction to gambling, which he had hoped would alleviate his money problems. He also professed his admiration of Ohtani, and his remorse.

“I am asking for a little mercy from the court concerning my sentence you will hand down,” Mizuhara 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.”

Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s account beginning in 2021 and changed its security protocols so he could impersonate him to authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used the money to buy about $325,000 worth of baseball cards at online resellers and had bet tens of millions of dollars that weren’t his to wager on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL and college football.

Prosecutors said Mizuhara never bet on baseball, and Ohtani was an unknowing victim of the 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,” prosecutors wrote.

Michael G. Freedman, Mizuhara’s attorney, wrote in court filings that his client is a gambling addict who made a “terrible mistake” and has suffered from a loss of a job and reputation. Mizuhara takes responsibility for his actions and expects to be deported to his native Japan after serving time, Freedman wrote while asking for a sentence of one and a half years.

Mizuhara was born in Japan and moved to California with his parents when he was 6. He struggled to learn English but eventually did, and he returned to Japan in 2013 to become an interpreter for a Japanese baseball team and later for Ohtani, according to court filings.

The two formed a tight-knit bond, and Mizuhara moved with Ohtani in 2018 to the U.S., where he took on numerous errands for the player such as grocery shopping, Freedman wrote.

Inside baseball, Mizuhara stood by Ohtani’s side for many of the athlete’s career highlights, from serving as his catcher during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game, to being there for his two American League MVP wins and his record-shattering $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Off the field, Mizuhara was Ohtani’s friend and confidant. He famously resigned from the Los Angeles Angels during the 2021 MLB lockout so he could keep speaking to Ohtani, and he was rehired after a deal was struck.

Last year, Ohtani and the Dodgers won the World Series, and the baseball star won his third Most Valuable Player award.