Shohei Ohtani's interpreter looks like he's set to face some punishment — and it's for much more than initially expected.
Ippei Mizuhara, the baseball star's former translator, is reportedly being charged with bank fraud for stealing $16 million from the baseball star, according to ESPN reporter Alden González. The news was announced by federal authorities in an Los Angeles court.
Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter and confidant, has been charged with bank fraud after it was discovered he transferred more than $16M from Ohtani's account to an alleged illegal sports book, federal authorities announced in L.A. court.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 11, 2024
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The $16 million that Mizuhara is being charged with stealing is nearly four times more than the reports that originally surfaced last month which stated that he had stolen $4.5 million from Ohtani. Mizuhara allegedly used that money to cover debts that he owed for losses in gambling which he made with an illegal sportsbook.
The New York Times had originally reported yesterday that Mizuhara was in negotiations to plead guilty to crimes in relation to theft.
The controversies surrounding Ohtani, who last MLB offseason signed a contract worth $700 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the largest in the history of sports, have emerged this year with speculation that perhaps the Japanese MLB phenomenon was also involved in sports betting.
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In a press conference late last month, Ohtani denied any of those rumors.
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do that on my behalf,” Ohtani said. “And I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports. Up until a couple days ago, I didn’t know this was happening.”
González also reported today that US Attorney Martin Estrada said that the bets made by Mizuhara were not made on baseball.
US Attorney Martin Estrada: “The best do not appear to have been made on the sport of baseball.”
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 11, 2024
They were placed between 2021 and 2024. Ippei Mizuhara, according to Estrada, set up the account for Shohei Ohtani and didn't have access to Ohtani's reps or financial advisors.
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