Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara sentenced to 57 months in prison for $17 million theft
Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for stealing $17 million from the MLB star.
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Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara (Image via X/Imago)
The Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara saga seems to have finally come to an end. On Thursday, the former interpreter of the Los Angeles Dodgers star was sentenced to 57 months in prison in the $17 million theft case.
Mizuhara was arrested last year when reports emerged of him stealing millions from Ohtani’s bank account. The 44-year-old, who worked closely as his translator, would withdraw large amounts of money from his client’s account and use it to pay off his gambling debts.
The interpreter had been gambling on sports for a long time. Through bookie Matthew Bowyer (who is supposed to be sentenced on February 7), Mizuhara placed around 19,000 wagers between September 2021 and January 2024.
Recently, a piece of audio evidence regarding this case went viral. In the audio clip, Mizuhara would impersonate Shohei Ohtani on a phone call with a bank official and tried to wire $200,000 on the basis of a “car loan”.
He has now been sentenced to 57 months (4 years and 9 months) in prison and has been ordered to pay $18 million in restitution. $17 million of this will go to Ohtani while the remainder will go to the IRS. His prison sentence will begin on March 24.
Ippei Mizuhara has been sentenced to 57 months in prison beginning on March 24. He is also ordered to pay restitution of nearly $17 million to Shohei Ohtani.
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 6, 2025
(via @SamBlum3) pic.twitter.com/yhwQK2FN2a
Ippei Mizuhara’s plea for lenient punishment goes in vain as former interpreter faces nearly 5 year prison time
The Ippei Mizuhara betting and theft scandal sent shockwaves across the MLB world in 2024. After the saga broke out, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to the charges placed upon him. In a letter to Judge John W. Holcomb, he had pleaded for a ‘lenient punishment’. Unfortunately for him, that has not been the case.
Judge Holcomb would hand him 57-month sentence in prison, which means Mizuhara will be locked up for nearly 5 years. While announcing the statement, Judge Holcomb claimed that the money involved in this matter was “shockingly high”.
The magnitude of the theft — $17 million — in my view, is shockingly high. I hope that Mr. Mizuhara will be able to repay that sum. That remains to be seen.
Judge John W. Holcomb said as per Associated Press
Mizuhara would later address the court and apologized to Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the US government, and his family for his actions.
I am truly, deeply sorry for what I have done. I am prepared to be punished for it.
Ippei Mizuhara said as per Associated Press
The verdict is in.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) February 6, 2025
Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter and friend of Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison.
Almost 5 years. pic.twitter.com/2iOK5m4fhM
Ippei Mizuhara had been standing side by side with Ohtani ever since the two-way star made his way to the United States from Japan. He was last seen with him in South Korea last year when Ohtani traveled with the Los Angeles Dodgers to take on the San Diego Padres in the Seoul Series. Soon after the reports broke out, he was fired from his position.
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Vinay Dave
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