Shohei Ohtani's Former Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara to Surrender for Allegedly Embezzling $16 Million

A former interpreter and close friend of baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani is set to turn himself in to federal authorities on Friday. It is alleged that he stole $16 million from Ohtani in order to fund his excessive gambling habits, according to a US attorney.

Ippei Mizuhara has been charged with bank fraud for making unauthorized transfers from Ohtani’s bank account over a period of three years, from November 2021 to January 2024, as confirmed by US Attorney Martin Estrada on Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 29: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels looks on before playing against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels is seen looking on before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on August 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

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Mizuhara even impersonated the superstar to try to get bank employees to approve enormous wire transfers, the prosecutor said.

CNN has contacted Mizuhara's lawyer for a statement. Mizuhara has agreed to turn himself in to federal authorities on Friday, according to Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Mizuhara is scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles federal district court on Friday afternoon.

"We anticipate that Mr. Mizuhara will be granted release on bond by the court," stated Mrozek in a written message. "It's important to note that he will not be required to enter a plea for the bank fraud charge at the upcoming hearing."

In the event of a conviction, Mizuhara may potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years behind bars.

Mizuhara exploited his close bond with Ohtani, who he was always with because Ohtani had difficulty with English. According to Estrada, Mizuhara used this relationship to fund his excessive illegal sports betting habits.

Shortly after Ohtani relocated from Japan to the United States, Mizuhara assisted the baseball star in setting up a bank account in 2018, according to the prosecutor.

However, the prosecutor stated that Mizuhara declined to grant access to Ohtani's other professional advisors, such as his agent, accountant, and financial adviser.

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani, was seen leaving a news conference on March 16. He was later dismissed from his position due to accusations of involvement in illegal gambling.

Ippei Mizuhara, left, the then-interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, right, leave a news conference on March 16. Mizuhara was later fired amid allegations of illegal gambling.

Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s account online, according to phone and bank records reviewed by Estrada. The prosecutor also mentioned that in 2021, Mizuhara began placing sports bets with a group of bookmakers associated with an illegal gambling operation.

"We do not think that any bets were placed on baseball games," Estrada mentioned. However, he did note that "Mr. Mizuhara started making bets more frequently as time passed. Additionally, the amounts of Mr. Mizuhara's bets increased significantly over time."

Tisha Thompson Shohei Ohtani Betting Translator Mizuhara Ippei The Lead Jake Tapper_00025012.png

Tisha Thompson Shohei Ohtani Betting Translator Mizuhara Ippei The Lead Jake Tapper_00025012.png

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In phone call recordings reviewed by investigators, Mizuhara was heard lying to bank employees. He pretended to be Ohtani, sharing personal details about his friend, in an attempt to secure approval for significant wire transfers, as stated by Estrada.

According to the prosecutor, there was no need for Mr. Mizuhara to impersonate Mr. Ohtani during the calls with the bank if the transfers had been legitimately approved.

Estrada said that any money won from Mizuhara's gambling activities did not go back to Ohtani's account. Instead, it went straight into Mizuhara's personal account. The prosecutor referred to Mizuhara's actions as a large-scale fraud.

The $700 million player is not a suspect

Ohtani became a household name even among non-baseball fans when he signed a historic $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year.

After a lengthy investigation into Ohtani’s phone records and communications, “Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,” the prosecutor said.

San Diego Padres' pitcher Yu Darvish pitches to Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani during the third inning of the 2024 MLB Seoul Series baseball game at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 20.

San Diego Padres' pitcher Yu Darvish faced off against Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani in the third inning of the 2024 MLB Seoul Series baseball game at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 20.

Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images

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The US attorney's office stated that after reviewing Ohtani's cellphone, they found no evidence linking him to Mizuhara's illegal gambling activities or debt payments. Ohtani cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation.

The allegations against Mizuhara came to light while the Dodgers were in South Korea for an MLB season-opening series in March. Ohtani's lawyers accused Mizuhara of stealing millions of dollars and placing bets with a bookie under federal investigation, as reported by ESPN and the Los Angeles Times.

Major League Baseball responded to Mizuhara's federal charge on Thursday by issuing a statement. The statement mentioned that the MLB will wait for the criminal proceeding to be resolved before deciding if further investigation is needed.

CNN’s Nick Watt contributed to this report. 

Editor's P/S:

The betrayal