Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, allegedly embezzled over $16 million from Ohtani to fund an illicit gambling spree.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada detailed how Mizuhara exploited his close relationship with Ohtani, who does not speak fluent English, to facilitate unauthorized wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank accounts. “Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,” Estrada emphasized.
The relationship between Ohtani and Mizuhara dates back to their days in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, where Mizuhara first served as Ohtani’s interpreter. This long-standing partnership, which continued robustly when Ohtani joined MLB in 2018, gave Mizuhara unique access to the athlete’s personal and financial affairs.
The numbers that were revealed to the public are mind-boggling; Federal investigators revealed that Mizuhara made nearly 19,000 wagers between December 2021 and January 2024, with bets as large as $160,000. While he amassed over $142 million in winnings, these were offset by losses totaling approximately $183 million.
The case moved quickly due to its high-profile nature and the potential implications for the MLB, which has a long history of grappling with gambling scandals. “Protecting sports at the highest levels is a priority,” stated Tyler Hatcher, special agent in charge with the IRS Criminal Investigation unit involved in the case.
Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter in March, expressed his shock and dismay at the revelations. “I am very saddened and shocked that someone who I trusted has done this,” he said, he also firmly distanced himself from any involvement in gambling.
The Dodgers, who signed Ohtani to a historic $700 million contract last December, terminated Mizuhara’s employment shortly after the allegations surfaced. MLB has also launched its own investigation to further probe any additional misconduct.
