MLB star Ohtani’s interpreter Mizuhara sentenced to prison

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for a fraud and gambling scheme.

He was ordered to pay back nearly $17m (£13.6m) that he’d stolen from the star athlete and another $1m to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in past taxes.

Mizuhara, who had been Ohtani’s English interpreter since his US Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2018, was fired amid media reports last year about his gambling activities, which prompted investigations into Ohtani’s finances.

A probe revealed Mizuhara stole nearly $17m from the athlete to pay off debts owed to a Southern California bookmaker.

He then lied on tax records to hide his actions. He pled guilty to bank and tax fraud charges.

“Mr. Mizuhara had a unique position of trust that gave him power, brought him fame, and paid him well,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Unfortunately, he exploited this dream job to steal millions of dollars from his friend and confidant.”

“This is a sad tale of an American success story gone wrong – so wrong that Mr. Mizuhara will be spending years inside a prison cell.”

Sitting in a courtroom in Santa Ana, California, Mizuhara was wearing a light black suit with his hands folded in his lap, staring straight ahead at the judge as he delivered his ruling.

When the verdict was announced, he was motionless.

Before being sentenced, he apologised for his actions.

“I am truly sorry to Mr Ohtani for what I have done. I know an apology will not fix the crime I committed,” he said. “This mistake will impact me for the rest of my life and I’m prepared to accept the consequences.”

The scheme threatened to derail Ohtani’s career – currently one of baseball’s biggest global stars – as questions swirled about whether he was involved in the gambling scheme.

His translator, at first, claimed the star was aware of his gambling addiction and loaned him funds – a claim that Ohtani initially confirmed. He later clarified that his comments to reporters were not accurate and part of Mizuhara’s scheme, saying “all of this has been a complete lie”.

The MLB has strict rules against sports betting and it is illegal in California, though it is allowed in 38 other US states.

Ohtani has largely remained silent on the matter but released a statement on the scandal back in March saying, “I am very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this”.

In court Judge John Holcomb said after Mizuhara is released from prison, he will be on three years of probation, which will include drug and alcohol testing and continuing treatment for his gambling addiction.

Mizuhara has been granted a 45-day surrender date and will turn himself in on 24 March to serve his 57-month sentence.

Mizuhara, who was born in Japan, could also face deportation following the completion of his sentence.

Asked outside of the courthouse by the BBC about whether he will appeal the sentence, Mizuhara’s attorney said “no comment.”

Beyond the stolen funds, Mizuhara also purchased several autographed baseball cards using Ohtani’s money. These cards, valued at approximately $325,000, were intended for resale, but Ohtani has since petitioned a federal judge to gain ownership of the cards as part of the recovery process.

Mizuhara admitted to falsifying his 2022 tax return, underreporting $4.1m in income derived from the scheme. He owes approximately $1.15m in unpaid taxes, plus penalties and interest.

His sentencing was delayed several times before Thursday.

It was originally scheduled for 25 October last year, which would have coincided with the first game of the World Series in which Ohtani was playing, but prosecutors agreed to move it to 20 December. The Dodgers ended up winning the series.

The December date was then delayed to allow a forensic psychiatrist to evaluate Mizuhara’s gambling addiction. Mizuhara’s legal team used that report to argue for leniency, citing his cooperation and efforts to address his addiction.

During a previous court appearance, Mizuhara admitted to the charges against him and acknowledged his struggles with gambling.

“I deeply regret my actions and the harm I have caused to Mr Ohtani and his family,” Mizuhara said. “I let my personal issues spiral out of control, and I betrayed the trust of someone who gave me everything.”