Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has been sentenced​ tо​ 57 months​ іn prison for stealing nearly $17 million from the baseball star.

Guilty Plea and Apology to Ohtani

Mizuhara, 40, pleaded guilty in May 2024 to felony bank fraud and filing a false tax return. In court, he issued an apology to Ohtani:

“I want to say I am truly sorry to Mr. Ohtani for what I have done,” he said.

How the Interpreter Turned Into a Fraudster

The court found that Mizuhara took advantage​ оf Ohtani’s limited English proficiency​ tо gain control over his financial affairs.​ He helped Ohtani open​ a bank account​ іn 2018 and later impersonated him more than​ 20 times​ tо bank officials.

By doing so, he transferred money to accounts linked to illegal bookmaker Matthew Bowyer to cover his massive gambling debts.

Gambling Losses and Millions Spent

According to ABC News, Bowyer lost $7.9 million gambling at Resorts World between June 2022 and October 2023. He became a subject of a federal investigation in Southern California regarding illegal sports betting and potential money laundering through Las Vegas casinos, though he has not been charged with any crime.

Court Ruling and Financial Penalties

In addition to his prison sentence, Mizuhara was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and repay nearly $17 million to Ohtani, as well as $1.1 million to the IRS.

Judge John Holcomb emphasized the scale of the theft:

“The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high. Most people don’t make that much money in their lifetime.”

“An American Success Story Gone Wrong”

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Joseph T. McNally, highlighted how Mizuhara exploited his privileged position:

“He used his unique position not to work but to steal millions from his friend and employer. This is a tragic tale of an American success story gone terribly wrong.”