Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleads guilty in sports betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to financial institution and tax fraud Wednesday in a sports betting case the place prosecutors allege he stole $16 million from the Japanese baseball participant to repay money owed.The scandal surrounding Ippei Mizuhara shocked baseball followers from the U.S. to Japan when the information broke in March. He was initially charged with one depend of financial institution fraud, which carries a possible 30-year jail sentence.Mizuhara exploited his private {and professional} relationship with Ohtani to plunder tens of millions from the two-way participant’s account for years, at occasions impersonating Ohtani to bankers, prosecutors mentioned. Mizuhara’s successful bets totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his personal checking account and never Ohtani’s. But his shedding bets have been round $183 million, a web lack of almost $41 million. He didn’t wager on baseball.There was no proof that Ohtani was concerned in or conscious of Mizuhara’s playing, and the participant is cooperating with investigators, authorities mentioned.
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to financial institution and tax fraud Wednesday in a sports betting case the place prosecutors allege he stole $16 million from the Japanese baseball participant to repay money owed.
The scandal surrounding Ippei Mizuhara shocked baseball followers from the U.S. to Japan when the information broke in March. He was initially charged with one depend of financial institution fraud, which carries a possible 30-year jail sentence.
Mizuhara exploited his private {and professional} relationship with Ohtani to plunder tens of millions from the two-way participant’s account for years, at occasions impersonating Ohtani to bankers, prosecutors mentioned. Mizuhara’s successful bets totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his personal checking account and never Ohtani’s. But his shedding bets have been round $183 million, a web lack of almost $41 million. He didn’t wager on baseball.
There was no proof that Ohtani was concerned in or conscious of Mizuhara’s playing, and the participant is cooperating with investigators, authorities mentioned.
