Ippei Mizuhara, who became a national figure for his on-field service and off-field friendship to Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for stealing millions from the Japanese phenom.
Mizuhara appeared in a Santa Ana courtroom Thursday to receive his sentence for stealing upward of $17 million from Ohtani’s bank accounts to pay off his own gambling debts.
Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s personal translator throughout his tenure as a member of the Los Angeles Angels and followed the slugger to Chavez Ravine to continue acting as his interpreter.
But before Ohtani ever faced a regular season pitch in Dodger Blue, Mizuhara was fired after it was revealed he had stolen millions from Ohtani’s banking accounts, some of which only he had access to, and posed as the three-time MVP winner during phone conversations with his financial institutions.
Following his dismissal from the team and Ohtani’s personal service, new light was shed Mizuhara, including manufactured stories about his education and previous clients.
He was eventually charged and convicted with federal crimes as part of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Ohtani has repeatedly claimed no knowledge of his former friend and colleague’s illegal dealings, a fact that DOJ investigators have said rings true.
In addition to his nearly five-year sentence, Mizuhara has been ordered to pay approximately $18 million in restitution.
Mathew Bowyer, the Orange County bookie who took the bets and whose arrest led to the discovery of Mizuhara’s gambling debts, ultimately pleaded guilty on multiple federal charges.
Betting on baseball in any way is banned by the MLB, as is using an illegal bookmaker or offshore website. Any sports bets placed in California are illegal, as the state has not legalized it.
