Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to bank and tax fraud charges.
Mizuhara, who has worked with Ohtani since his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2018, was convicted of stealing almost $17 million from the athlete to pay off gambling debts with a California gambling house.
Mizuhara also used Ohtani’s money to buy autographed baseball cards worth $325,000, which the athlete is now trying to get back.
In addition to the penalty, he will have to return the stolen money and face a fine of US$1 million in unpaid taxes.
Shohei Ohtani’s baseball career was almost affected by the case
The case initially raised concerns about Ohtani’s possible involvement in gambling activities.
Mizuhara first claimed that Ohtani was aware of his addiction and had lent him money. However, Ohtani clarified that these statements were part of Mizuhara’s scheme: “This was all a complete lie.”
The baseball player also showed his disappointment with the former employee’s actions. “I am very saddened and shocked that someone I trusted would do this.”
That’s because the scandal put Ohtani’s career in check, due to MLB’s strict rules against gambling and the ban on sports betting in California.
However, with investigations underway, Mizuhara admitted that Ohtani had no knowledge of his bets and debts.
Punishment
Mizuhara appeared in court in Santa Ana, California, where he expressed remorse, acknowledging that his illegal actions would have serious consequences.
Judge John Holcomb imposed a sentence of 57 months in prison, followed by three years of probation. During this period, Mizuhara will undergo drug and alcohol testing and treatment for his gaming addiction.
Therefore, he has until March 24th to turn himself in and begin serving his sentence. Furthermore, he is at risk of deportation after serving his sentence.
