Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty guilty to bank and tax fraud during an appearance in federal court in Santa Ana on Tuesday morning.
Mizuhara additionally admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star in order to pay off his sports betting debts.
“With today’s plea in the criminal proceedings against Ippei Mizuhara and the conclusion of both federal and MLB investigations, the Dodgers are pleased that Shohei and the team can put this entire matter behind them and move forward in pursuit of a World Series,” the Dodgers said in a statement.
The organization was rocked by the scandal during the Seoul Series in March as reports surfaced of Mizuhara participating in illegal sports gambling with a Southern California bookmaker.
Although Ohtani was quickly implicated — largely due to Mizuhara’s initial explanation being that the two-way star agreed to pay off the gambling debt — thorough federal and MLB investigations subsequently cleared him.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and several of Ohtani’s teammates publicly voiced their support and belief that Mizuhara acted in a shroud of secrecy. The federal investigation ultimately discovered Mizuhara gained access to Ohtani’s bank account and changed communication settings in order to take full control of transfers without being detected.
The bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, and the false tax return charge carries a sentence of up to three years in federal prison. Mizuhara’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.
MLB statement on Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara
On the same day MLB announced suspensions of Tucupita Marcano (San Diego Padres), Michael Kelly (Oakland Athletics), Jay Groome (Padres Minor Leaguer), José Rodríguez (Philadelphia Phillies Minor Leaguer) and Andrew Saalfrank (Arizona Diamondbacks Minor Leaguer) for violating the league’s gambling policies, they also concluded their investigation into Ohtani and Mizuhara.
“Based on the thoroughness of the federal investigation that was made public, the information MLB collected, and the criminal proceeding being resolved without being contested, MLB considers Shohei Ohtani a victim of fraud and this matter has been closed,” MLB said in a statement.
MLB rules prohibit players and team employees from betting on baseball, even if done so legally. MLB also does not permit gambling on on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
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