Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers were in Philadelphia last week, taking two of three from the Phillies as Ohtani pursued another possible MVP season. About a three-hour drive away, Ippei Mizuhara — Ohtani’s former interpreter and personal assistant — was serving a federal prison term in central Pennsylvania after being convicted of fraud.
Federal authorities say Mizuhara placed an average of 26 sports bets per day, roughly 19,000 wagers in total. Prosecutors allege he won $142 million but lost $183 million, leaving a negative balance of $40.7 million.
The feds contend Mizuhara attempted to cover losses by misappropriating at least $16 million from one of Ohtani’s bank accounts, at times impersonating the player during security calls to authorize transfers as large as $500,000. Investigators also say $325,000 in baseball cards and $60,000 in dental work were charged to the account, which received salary deposits from the Angels but was, according to prosecutors, largely unwatched.
Federal investigators and prosecutors maintain Ohtani was a victim in the scheme. Their review of about 40,000 text messages between the two reportedly found no mention of gambling. Authorities say Mizuhara used influence over communications — including with team officials, agents and the media — to conceal his conduct.
ESPN investigative reporter Tisha Thompson and 30 for 30 Podcasts detailed the relationship, the crime and Mizuhara’s sentencing in a series titled “The Betrayal of Shohei Ohtani,” according to ESPN. Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison.
Reporting describes Mizuhara as slightly built and mostly quiet, born in Japan and raised in Southern California, who became an interpreter for Ohtani. Prosecutors say he had gambled in lower-stakes settings before being introduced to a local, high-volume bookmaker, Matt Bowyer, and that his betting escalated rapidly once sports wagering entered the picture.
