Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to tax and bank fraud charges at a courthouse south of Los Angeles on Tuesday. Mizuhara, 39, is accused of embezzling nearly $17 million (£13.3 million) from Ohtani during his employment.
Ohtani, one of baseball’s biggest stars, recently signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, solidifying his status as a franchise and MLB icon. Prosecutors claim Mizuhara used Ohtani’s funds to settle his growing gambling debts.
This guilty plea is part of a deal Mizuhara reached with prosecutors in exchange for a potentially reduced sentence. The case has garnered significant attention from baseball fans in both Japan and America since the allegations surfaced in March.
During Tuesday’s hearing at a federal court in Orange County, Mizuhara admitted to falling into substantial gambling debt, claiming he resorted to using money wired from Ohtani’s account to escape his financial troubles.
Prosecutors allege that Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani during calls to bank officials, tricking employees into approving wire transfers from the baseball star’s bank account to associates involved in illegal gambling operations. He has also been charged with tax fraud.
“The extent of this defendant’s deception and theft is massive,” stated US Attorney Martin Estrada last month. “He took advantage of his position of trust to exploit Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit.”
Mizuhara faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud and up to three years for tax fraud, having pleaded guilty to both charges. A sentencing hearing is set for October 25.
Mizuhara was terminated in March as news of the allegations broke. At that time, Ohtani expressed his shock and sadness over the betrayal, stating that someone he trusted had wronged him. Mizuhara had been by Ohtani’s side since the baseball star began his career in the US in 2018, assisting with everything from media interviews to banking and financial matters.