Former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, has been charged with bank fraud for allegedly stealing more than $16 million from the MLB star to pay an illegal bookie. Ohtani has denied any knowledge of Mizuhara’s alleged gambling addiction or that his money was being stolen, and the Department of Justice has confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest Ohtani was aware of, or involved in, Mizuhara’s illegal activities. Mizuhara allegedly wired over $16 million in unauthorized transfers from Ohtani’s checking account, using devices and IP addresses associated with him.
Mizuhara lost significant sums of money beginning in September 2021, which led him to link Ohtani’s account to his own phone number and email address to initiate unauthorized transfers. From January to March of this year, Mizuhara used the account to purchase around 1,000 baseball cards at a cost of approximately $325,000, having them mailed to himself under an alias. There have been speculations that Ohtani was the one gambling and Mizuhara was taking the hit, but Ohtani has maintained that he has never bet on baseball or any other sports, nor has he asked anyone to do so on his behalf.
Ohtani claimed that he only found out about Mizuhara’s debt and illegal activities a couple of days before the team meeting in South Korea for the recent Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres last month. Up until that point, he had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s gambling addiction and debt, and he never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker. Mizuhara had been Ohtani’s personal translator since he joined the majors in 2018, even catching his bullpen sessions and playing catch with him in the outfield. However, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara following these revelations.
Despite the controversy surrounding Mizuhara’s actions, Ohtani recently signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason, the largest in North American sports history. He has deferred $68 million annually until after the deal is complete. Ohtani is also reported to be the largest earner in sponsorships in the sport of baseball. The situation with Mizuhara has not affected Ohtani’s career or contract, as he is still a prominent figure in Major League Baseball and continues to excel on the field.
The DOJ has charged Mizuhara with bank fraud for allegedly stealing over $16 million from Shohei Ohtani to pay off an illegal bookie. Ohtani has denied any knowledge of Mizuhara’s actions and insisted that he never authorized the unauthorized transfers from his account. Mizuhara allegedly used Ohtani’s account to purchase baseball cards under an alias and has been accused of acting as Ohtani in phone calls with the bank to initiate transfers. Despite the allegations, Ohtani has maintained his innocence and continues to focus on his baseball career.
The controversy surrounding Mizuhara’s actions has not impacted Ohtani’s career or contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani recently signed a record-breaking $700 million contract with the team, solidifying his position as one of the sport’s top players. He also remains a lucrative figure in sponsorships, despite the scandal involving his former interpreter. Ohtani’s focus remains on his performance on the field, and he is determined to continue his success in Major League Baseball.
