LOS ANGELES – The previous interpreter for Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani is anticipated to be sentenced Thursday for financial institution and tax fraud after he stole practically $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers participant’s checking account.
Federal prosecutors are searching for a jail sentence of 4 years and 9 months for Ippei Mizuhara, who was presupposed to bridge the hole between Ohtani and his English-speaking teammates and followers because the duo traveled from Southern California to ballparks throughout the U.S. As an alternative, Mizuhara exploited the Japanese-English language barrier to isolate Ohtani and revenue from his proximity to the two-way participant ’s energy.
Mizuhara is scheduled to look in federal courtroom within the Orange County metropolis of Santa Ana. He pleaded responsible final yr to financial institution and tax fraud after he was accused of stealing cash to cowl his rising playing bets and money owed with an unlawful bookmaker, along with $325,000 price of baseball playing cards and his personal dental payments.
The case affected arguably the world’s most well-known baseball participant — who beforehand pitched for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — and stoked an worldwide media frenzy. It stemmed from a broader probe into unlawful sports activities bookmaking organizations in Southern California and the laundering of proceeds by means of casinos in Las Vegas that has netted a dozen defendants.
“His years-long theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani and the myriad lies he informed to Mr. Ohtani’s brokers and monetary advisors to cowl up his theft characterize a calculated betrayal of the very particular person he was employed to assist,” prosecutors wrote in courtroom papers.
They need Mizuhara to pay $17 million in restitution to Ohtani and $1 million to the Inside Income Service.
In a letter to the courtroom, Mizuhara described his monetary pressure and dependancy to playing, which he had hoped would alleviate his cash issues. He additionally professed his admiration of Ohtani, and his regret.
“I’m asking for just a little mercy from the courtroom regarding my sentence you’ll hand down,” Mizuhara wrote. “I actually admire Shohei as a baseball participant and a human being and I used to be dedicated to commit my life so Shohei might be one of the best model of himself on the sector. I need to say I’m really sorry for violating his belief in me.”
Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s account starting in 2021 and adjusted its safety protocols so he may impersonate him to authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used the cash to purchase about $325,000 price of baseball playing cards at on-line resellers and had wager tens of tens of millions of {dollars} that weren’t his to wager on worldwide soccer, the NBA, the NFL and faculty soccer.
Prosecutors mentioned Mizuhara by no means wager on baseball, and Ohtani was an unknowing sufferer of the scheme.
“Let there be little doubt, Mr. Ohtani is really a sufferer and has suffered, and can proceed to undergo, hurt from defendant’s conduct,” prosecutors wrote.
Michael G. Freedman, Mizuhara’s lawyer, wrote in courtroom filings that his shopper is a playing addict who made a “horrible mistake” and has suffered from a lack of a job and repute. Mizuhara takes accountability for his actions and expects to be deported to his native Japan after serving time, Freedman wrote whereas asking for a sentence of 1 and a half years.
Mizuhara was born in Japan and moved to California together with his dad and mom when he was 6. He struggled to be taught English however ultimately did, and he returned to Japan in 2013 to turn into an interpreter for a Japanese baseball staff and later for Ohtani, in keeping with courtroom filings.
The 2 fashioned a tight-knit bond, and Mizuhara moved with Ohtani in 2018 to the U.S., the place he took on quite a few errands for the participant similar to grocery purchasing, Freedman wrote.
Inside baseball, Mizuhara stood by Ohtani’s facet for a lot of of the athlete’s profession highlights, from serving as his catcher throughout the Dwelling Run Derby on the 2021 All-Star Sport, to being there for his two American League MVP wins and his record-shattering $700 million, 10-year take care of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Off the sector, Mizuhara was Ohtani’s good friend and confidant. He famously resigned from the Los Angeles Angels throughout the 2021 MLB lockout so he may preserve talking to Ohtani, and he was rehired after a deal was struck.
Final yr, Ohtani and the Dodgers gained the World Sequence, and the baseball star gained his third Most Priceless Participant award.
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