Ippei Mizuhara
| Ippei Mizuhara | |
|---|---|
| Born: | December 31, 1984 Hokkaido, Japan |
| Charges: | Bank fraud, Filing a false tax return |
| Sentence: | 57 months |
| Facility: | Federal prison |
| Status: | Incarcerated |
Ippei Mizuhara (born December 31, 1984) is a former Major League Baseball interpreter who was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $17 million from baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani to cover gambling debts.[1] Mizuhara served as Ohtani's personal interpreter from 2017, when Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels, through March 2024, when he was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers after the theft was discovered. During that time, Mizuhara became one of the most recognizable figures in baseball, appearing alongside Ohtani at press conferences, during games, and even serving as his catcher during the 2021 Home Run Derby.[2] His spectacular fall from grace became one of the biggest scandals in modern sports history, exposing the dangers of gambling addiction and the vulnerability of athletes who place deep trust in their closest associates.
Summary
The Ippei Mizuhara case shocked the sports world and revealed how a trusted confidant could systematically exploit a superstar athlete. Over approximately two and a half years, Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets through an illegal bookmaking operation, wagering approximately $325-326 million on sports events around the world. His winning bets totaled about $142 million, but his losing bets exceeded $182 million, leaving him with a net loss of more than $40 million.[3]
To cover his losses, Mizuhara exploited his access to Ohtani's finances. He changed the security settings on Ohtani's bank account, including the registered phone number and email address, so that bank employees would contact him instead of Ohtani when verifying transactions. He then impersonated Ohtani on approximately 24 calls with the bank to authorize wire transfers to the bookmaker. Federal prosecutors made clear that Ohtani was entirely a victim who never gambled or knew his money was being stolen.[1]
Background
Early Life
Ippei Mizuhara was born on December 31, 1984, in Hokkaido, Japan. In 1991, when he was seven years old, his family moved to Southern California so his father, Hidemasa, a chef, could work there. Mizuhara was raised in Diamond Bar, a city in eastern Los Angeles County, where he attended Chaparral Middle School and Diamond Bar High School, graduating in 2003.[4]
As a young immigrant, Mizuhara faced significant challenges learning English but eventually developed strong bilingual proficiency in both English and Japanese. Former coaches described him as a quiet and unremarkable student who kept his head down and completed his work diligently. At Diamond Bar High School, he was a backup goalie on the varsity soccer team but received limited playing time.[5]
Mizuhara later claimed to have graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007, but when the scandal broke in March 2024, the university told reporters that its records showed no student by that name having attended.[6]
Passion for Baseball
Though he did not play baseball, Mizuhara fell in love with the sport while watching Japanese pitching sensation Hideo Nomo take MLB by storm with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. "I was right in the middle of Nomo Fever," Mizuhara told Sports Illustrated in 2021. After trying various jobs including work at a sushi restaurant and for a Japanese sake import company, Mizuhara pursued a career as a baseball interpreter.[7]
Career as an Interpreter
In 2013, Mizuhara was hired by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball to translate for English-speaking players. It was there that he first met Shohei Ohtani, who had also joined the Fighters in 2013. In Japan, Mizuhara's role extended far beyond simple translation—he helped players arrange work visas, set up bank accounts, and accompanied them to medical appointments.[7]
When Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017, the team hired Mizuhara to serve as his personal interpreter. Their relationship was remarkably close; Mizuhara was at Ohtani's side for virtually every public appearance and even participated in his baseball activities, including throwing with him during warmups and serving as his catcher during the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby. During the 2021-22 MLB lockout, Mizuhara temporarily resigned from his Angels position to circumvent rules prohibiting contact between players and team personnel, allowing him to continue working with Ohtani.[4]
When Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season, Mizuhara continued as his interpreter—a position he held for less than three months before the scandal emerged.[2]
The Gambling Scandal
Connection to Illegal Bookmaker
In September 2021, Mizuhara attended a poker game involving Los Angeles Angels players and coaches, where he met illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer. Shortly after, Bowyer set up Mizuhara with a betting account on AnyActionSports.com, a Costa Rica-based gambling website Bowyer used for his operation.[3]
Bowyer later said he knew within 30 days that Mizuhara was a problem gambler based on the frequency and nature of his bets. Mizuhara bet obsessively, wagering on obscure international soccer matches and other events around the clock. His average bet was approximately $12,800, and he averaged 25 bets per day.[8]
Stealing from Ohtani
As Mizuhara's gambling losses mounted into the millions, he began stealing from Ohtani to pay his debts. Starting no later than November 2021 and continuing through March 2024, Mizuhara used Ohtani's password to access his bank account and changed the security protocols without Ohtani's knowledge. He altered the registered email address and phone number so that bank employees would call him, not Ohtani, when verifying transactions.[1]
Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani on approximately 24 phone calls with the bank, using Ohtani's personal identifying information to authorize wire transfers. In total, he stole approximately $16.975 million from Ohtani's account.[1]
Discovery and Termination
The scheme unraveled in March 2024 when federal investigators, following money trails as part of their investigation into Bowyer's illegal gambling operation, discovered the wire transfers from Ohtani's account. On March 20, 2024, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara after Ohtani's representatives accused him of "massive theft." Federal prosecutors made clear from the outset that Ohtani was entirely a victim who had never gambled and had no knowledge of the thefts.[2]
Legal Proceedings
Charges and Guilty Plea
On April 11, 2024, federal prosecutors charged Mizuhara with one count of bank fraud. He turned himself in the following day and was released on $25,000 bond. On June 4, 2024, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud and to one count of filing a false tax return, the latter related to his failure to report gambling winnings on his taxes.[4]
Sentencing
On February 6, 2025, U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara to 57 months in federal prison, slightly below the 63-month term prosecutors had recommended. The judge also ordered Mizuhara to pay $16,975,010 in restitution to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the IRS, and imposed three years of supervised release.[1]
At sentencing, prosecutors emphasized the scope of Mizuhara's betrayal. "Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant's conduct," prosecutors stated in court documents.[9]
Prison Status and Deportation
Mizuhara was ordered to surrender to federal prison by March 24, 2025. His attorney, Michael G. Freedman, indicated that Mizuhara, a Japanese citizen, is expected to be deported after completing his sentence.[10]
Terminology
- Bank Fraud: A federal crime involving a scheme to defraud a financial institution or obtain money from a bank through false pretenses.
- Wire Transfer: An electronic transfer of funds from one bank account to another.
- Problem Gambling: Gambling behavior that causes harm to the gambler or others, often characterized by loss of control.
- Restitution: Court-ordered payment to compensate victims for their financial losses.
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 U.S. Department of Justice, "Former Interpreter Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Illegally Transferring Nearly $17 Million from Baseball Star's Bank Account," February 2025, https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-interpreter-sentenced-nearly-5-years-prison-illegally-transferring-nearly-17.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 ESPN, "Ippei Mizuhara sentenced to 57 months for stealing from Shohei Ohtani," February 2025, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43721275/mizuhara-sentenced-57-months-prison-ohtani-fraud.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 CBS Sports, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay $18.1M," February 2025, https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtanis-former-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced-to-57-months-in-prison-and-must-pay-18-1m/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wikipedia, "Ippei Mizuhara," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ippei_Mizuhara.
- ↑ NBC News, "Who is Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara? Everything we know," 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-everything-know-rcna144445.
- ↑ Yahoo News, "The mysterious life — and questionable claims — of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter," 2024, https://www.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-life-questionable-claims-shohei-100045490.html.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 ESPN, "How interpreter Ippei Mizuhara became players' lifeline," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39963548/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-american-players-japan-gambling-scandal.
- ↑ IRS, "Former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from baseball star's bank account," February 2025, https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/former-interpreter-sentenced-to-nearly-5-years-in-prison-for-illegally-transferring-nearly-17-million-from-baseball-stars-bank-account.
- ↑ NBC News, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in gambling-linked theft," February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shohei-ohtani-former-interpreter-set-sentenced-gambling-linked-theft-rcna190978.
- ↑ Fox LA, "Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, sentenced for stealing millions," February 2025, https://www.foxla.com/news/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced.