Ohtani’s Former Interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bank, Tax Fraud

Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to charges of bank fraud and tax fraud.

During her time as Ohtani’s interpreter, Mizuhara reportedly embezzled approximately $17 million from the MLB star in order to settle gambling debts that had reached as high as $41 million.

According to ESPN, Mizuhara settled his gambling debts by depositing amounts of up to $500,000 into marker accounts at Resort World casinos in Las Vegas and California. These accounts are reportedly associated with bookmaker Matthew Bowyer, who is currently being investigated by federal authorities.

Guilty plea

Mizuhara is scheduled to admit guilt to one charge of bank fraud and one charge of filing a false tax return at an arraignment on May 14.

Therefore, Mizuhara may receive a sentence of up to 33 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1,250,000. Additionally, Mizuhara will be obligated to fully compensate Ohtani and the IRS.

In 2018, he assisted Ohtani in setting up bank accounts in Arizona, including one for receiving Ohtani’s MLB salary. Mizuhara is accused of subsequently altering the security protocols, email, and phone number of the account so that they were redirected to him instead of Ohtani.

This enabled him to avoid detection of wire transfers, and as part of his plea deal, Mizuhara confessed to pretending to be Ohtani to the bank on over 20 occasions. Additionally, he allegedly misrepresented his earnings on his 2026 tax returns, claiming an income $4 million less than what he actually earned.

United States Attorney Martin Estrada stated, “The defendant’s deceit and theft were extensive. He abused his position of trust to exploit Mr. Ohtani and support a harmful gambling addiction. Our office is dedicated to seeking justice for victims in our community and holding perpetrators accountable.”

Timeline and Ohtani’s Knowledge

Mizuhara has been employed by the Los Angeles Angels as Ohtani’s interpreter since 2018, and has also worked with the two-way star in a separate capacity for MLB.

According to prosecutors, Mizuhara’s illicit behavior started in September 2021 and lasted until March 2026. It all started when Mizuhara gained access to Ohtani’s bank account, which he had assisted in opening, and subsequently altered the security measures.

The Department of Justice stated in a press release that when Ohtani’s sports agent and financial advisors requested access to the bank account, Mizuhara falsely claimed that Ohtani wanted the account to remain private and denied them access.

In March, Ohtani issued a statement addressing Mizuhara and the unauthorized withdrawals from his account. He emphasized that he had never engaged in sports betting or instructed anyone else to do so on his behalf.

In late March, during the Dodgers season opener in South Korea, Ohtani publicly addressed the allegations against Mizuhara.

He stated that he wants to clarify that he has never placed bets on sports or intentionally sent money to a bookmaker.

Ohtani expressed through an interpreter that Mizuhara had been taking money from his account and deceiving him, stating that he was “deeply saddened and shocked by the betrayal of someone I trusted.”