Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter charged with stealing $16 million from Dodgers star

Times Investigations

Nathan Fenno April 11, 2024

Federal prosecutors have charged Ippei Mizuhara, the since-fired interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, with stealing more than $16 million from the Dodgers superstar to pay debts with an allegedly illegal bookmaker.

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Martin Estrada, announced the charge Thursday at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles.

“Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,” Estrada said.

He said that Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani in conversations with bank officials, placed thousands of wagers and deposited winnings in a bank account the interpreter controlled.

“Mr. Mizuhara did all this to feed his insatiable appetite for illegal sports gambling,” Estrada said.

Mizuhara faces a single count of bank fraud.

Michael Freedman, an L.A.-based criminal defense attorney, confirmed he represents Mizuhara, but has declined further comment. Mizuhara, a Diamond Bar High School graduate who has been a fixture at Ohtanis side since his first season with the Angels in 2018, did not respond to messages.

The charge is the latest twist in a saga that has transfixed the baseball world since The Times broke the story on March 20. The newspaper reported that Ohtanis name had surfaced in the federal investigation of Mathew Bowyer, an allegedly illegal bookmaker who lives in Orange County. Ohtanis representatives accused Mizuhara of committing massive theft of the ballplayers money to place bets with Bowyers organization.

Bowyer, whose San Juan Capistrano home was raided by federal agents in October, has not been charged with a crime.

The saga spilled into public view after several days of shifting accounts behind the scenes about the episode. The Times first requested comment from Ohtanis agent, Nez Balelo, on March 15, then Matthew Hiltzik, a New York-based crisis public relations manager, contacted the newspaper a day later on behalf of the ballplayer. The publicist eventually said Ohtani had no comment.

document cloud roadblock

While the Dodgers prepared to open their season against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, ESPN later reported, an Ohtani spokesman told the outlet that the money came from Ohtani to cover Mizuharas gambling debts. ESPN conducted a lengthy interview with Mizuhara on March 19 that was arranged by the spokesman. Mizuhara claimed Ohtani had paid his gambling debts.

The spokesman soon disavowed the account, according to ESPN, and replaced it with the allegation that Mizuhara stole the money through wire transfers.

Near the end of the Dodgers season-opening win over the Padres in a game that started at 3 a.m. Pacific time on March 20, a television camera captured Ohtani and Mizuhara laughing in the dugout.

Before the clubhouse opened to the media after the game, several Dodger executives addressed the team along with Mizuhara. According to multiple people with knowledge of the meeting, the interpreter said he had a gambling problem and Ohtani paid

off

his debts

off

last year.

In comments made during a news conference in L.A. several days later, Ohtani described in Japanese what happened after the clubhouse meeting: We returned to the hotel and Ippei spoke to me for the first time and thats when I learned he had a huge debt. Thats when he told me he accessed my bank account and made payments to a bookmaker. I thought that was strange, so I called my representatives.

The West Hollywood law firm representing Ohtani, Berk Brettler, issued the massive theft statement and said, we are turning the matter over to the authorities. The Dodgers quickly fired Mizuhara.

Two days later, Major League Baseball announced an investigation. The leagues rules prohibit any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee from betting on the game or making illegal bets on other sports.

During the news conference

on

March 25, Ohtani alleged that Mizuhara kept him in the dark about the media inquiries: Ippei didnt tell me such reporting was taking place. Ippei told everyone, including my agent, that I made payments not on behalf of Ippei, but on behalf of another friend. Ohtani said it was a complete lie that he paid Mizuharas gambling debts and denied betting on sports.

I myself have never bet on anything or bet for anyone on a sporting event, or asked someone to bet for me, and Ive never asked anyone to send money to a bookmaker from my bank account, Ohtani said.

He added: The conclusion is that he was lying to everyone, including everyone around me.

Ohtanis unparalleled excellence as

both

a hitter and pitcher transformed him into an international icon and led to a 10-year, $700-million free-agent contract with the Dodgers in December. The deal is the largest in baseball history, though most of the money is deferred until after the contract ends.

But the last few weeks have thrust Ohtani into the middle of a global storm that has nothing to do with baseball.

Honestly, I dont think shock is the right word, he said last month. Ive spent the last week in something beyond that, which I cant express in words.

Times staff writers Matt Hamilton and Adam Elmahrek contributed to this report.