The former Ohtani interpreter sentenced to 4 years in prison, must pay $ 18.1 million

Updated with sentence: Shohei OhtaniThe former interpreter, who admitted to having stolen almost $ 17 million from Dodger Slugger’s bank account to pay illegal game debts, was sentenced today in a federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months in prison.

In addition to the sentence, IPPEI Mizuhara was also ordered to pay a restitution of more than $ 18.1 million.

Mizuhara declared himself guilty in June of a federal bank fraud counting and subscribing to a false tax declaration. The office of bank fraud could have sent it to prison for up to 30 years, while the fiscal position took three years in federal prison.

Mizuhara said he committed crimes due to an addiction to the game, but prosecutors said their actions went beyond the game and greed.

“Even if the defendant is addicted to the game, he cannot completely explain the defendant’s conduct because the defendant used the funds stolen for numerous personal expenses that had nothing to do with the game,” prosecutors wrote in judicial documents.

The prosecutors pointed to Mizuhara using the stolen funds to buy baseball cards for a total of approximately $ 325,000, and when the defendant asked Ohtani to pay financial help to pay the dental work, dental work, the work, the Dodgers Star gave him a check for $ 60,000, but Mizuhara pocketed the cash and used the baseball player’s debit card to pay the dentist.

In addition, Mizuhara did not sell baseball cards to pay his game debts to Coacusado Mathew Bowyer, who also declared himself guilty and was scheduled to be sentenced on April 4, prosecutors said.

“In addition, and the most convincing, when the defendant really earned Bowyer’s money (his bets), he did not pay Mr. Ohtani or accredited the account of which he had stolen the funds,” prosecutors said. “Instead, he told Bowyer to connect the money to the defendant’s personal account.”

Mizuhara’s motivation was not addiction, it was: greed, ”prosecutors said.

Previously on May 8, 2024: The former Shohei Ohtani performer agreed to declare himself guilty of two federal positions for stealing almost $ 17 million from the Dodger Slugger’s bank account to pay illegal game debts, prosecutors announced today.

IPPEI Mizuhara, 39, could face more than 30 years in a federal prison under the guilt, according to the office of the United States prosecutor.

“The scope of the deception and theft of this defendant is massive,” said the United States prosecutor Martin Estrada. “He took advantage of his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and feed a hazardous game habit. My office is committed to claiming victims throughout our community and ensuring that malefactors in front of justice. “

In one of the most convictions of the criminal complaint, prosecutors that include a text from Mizuhara to “Bookmaker 1” where the duo was discussing the public reports of the theft of the Dodgers player.

“I technically stole it. Everything has ended for me, “Mizuhara wrote without surroundings in words, any jury will have difficulty overlooking.

The player’s interpreter born in Japan almost since the day he joined MLB, Mizuhara has been using the accounts and the name of Ohtani to obtain large dollars since 2018, prosecutors argue. They also revealed recent discussions with Ohtani himself on the matter.

The reading of charges for Mizuhara, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has now been scheduled for next Tuesday, May 14.

City News Service contributed to this publication.