Shohei Ohtani solutions questions and Ippei Mizuhara interprets in the course of the Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers Press Convention at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, December 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Rob Leiter | Main League Baseball | Getty Pictures
Shoehei Ohtani’s former translator Ippei Mizuhara allegedly stole over $16 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers star to cowl tens of millions of {dollars} of playing money owed, the U.S. legal professional’s workplace introduced on Thursday.
The workplace, which filed a felony criticism in opposition to Mizuhara on Thursday, additionally mentioned Ohtani had no information of the fraud and is taken into account a sufferer within the case.
The bets weren’t positioned on baseball video games, the workplace mentioned.
Mizuhara had been Ohtani’s translator for years. Over that point, the legal professional’s workplace found that Mizuhara had full entry to Ohtani’s financial institution accounts. Telephone data point out he accessed them on-line and lied to the financial institution pretending to be Ohtani, the workplace mentioned. He refused to present entry to the accounts to Ohtani’s agent and different advisors.
“As a result of to the place of belief, he had distinctive entry to his funds and he used and abused that place of belief to make the most of Mr. Ohtani,” mentioned Martin Estrada, United States legal professional.
Mizuhara has been the topic of a federal investigation surrounding tens of millions of {dollars} in wire transfers originating from Ohtani’s checking account to an unlawful bookmaker.
The Ohtani fraud was first found because the DOJ was wanting into unlawful bookmakers.
Estrada mentioned Mizuhara stored his winnings in his personal checking account.
Whereas sports activities playing is authorized in 38 states and Washington, D.C., it is unlawful in California, which has pushed some bettors to unlawful operations.
In a March 25 press convention, Ohtani mentioned he had simply realized concerning the theft and mentioned he felt unhappy, shocked and betrayed by somebody he had trusted.
“I’ve by no means wager on baseball, some other sports activities or by no means requested someone to do it on my behalf,” Ohtani mentioned via one other translator.
Beforehand, Mizuhara had mentioned that Ohtani knew concerning the money owed and was serving to him pay them off. He later backtracked from these statements.
Mizuhara faces a most sentence of 30 years in jail for the fees and is predicted to make a courtroom look within the subsequent couple of days.
Ohtahni is considered one of greatest stars within the MLB. The 29-year previous Japanese born pitcher joined the Dodgers on Dec. 9 with a file 10-year, $700 million contract following six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani is the one MLB participant to win the American League MVP by unanimous vote twice and the primary Japanese-born participant to guide the most important league in residence runs.
If Ohtani was discovered to be concerned, it might violate Main League Baseball’s playing coverage, which says gamers cannot wager on baseball in any type. Punishment ranges from suspension of a season to being completely ineligible.
