Key points:
- Mizuhara was the interpreter for LA Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani
- He pleaded guilty to using Ohtani’s account to pay off debts
Ippei Mizuhara has received a nearly five-year prison sentence from a federal court in Santa Ana for bank and tax fraud, according to a recent Associated Press report.
The federal court in California sentenced Mizuhara to serve four years and nine months.
The court also ordered Mizuhara to pay a total of $18m in restitution to both Ohtani and the IRS. Ohtani will receive close to $17m, according to the AP report.
In addition to the prison sentence, Mizuhara was sentenced to three years of supervised release and must surrender to the authorities by March 24.
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to both bank and tax fraud last May, after federal prosecutors alleged that he “stole nearly $17m from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts.”
They went on to add that Mizuhara “exploited his personal and professional relationship with Ohtani to plunder millions from the two-way player’s account for years, at times impersonating Ohtani to bankers.”
Mizuhara first opened a bank account for Ohtani in 2018. According to the plea agreement, he began stealing money from the account soon after.
He went on to place a series of bets, which he deposited into his own bank account. His winnings totaled more than $142m, while losing wagers reached $183m. None of the bets were placed on baseball.
According to the AP report, Mizuhara apologized to Ohtani, the LA Dodgers, his family and the government following sentencing.
“I am truly, deeply sorry for what I have done,” Mizuhara said. “I am prepared to be punished for it.”
