May 8, 2024 - Sports

Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter to plead guilty to stealing millions from Dodgers star

Sareen Habeshian

Shohei Ohtani (R) and his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (L) attend a press conference in Seoul on March 16. Photo: Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter agreed to plead guilty Wednesday to federal criminal charges for stealing almost $17 million from the baseball star to pay off gambling debts.

The big picture: Ippei Mizuhara, the Japanese-language translator who has been alongside Ohtani since his Major League Baseball debut in 2018, was fired by the team in March after allegations of the massive theft.

Ohtani denied knowing about the almost $17 million transfers from his own bank account, and said he did not engage in any sports betting, nor did he ask anyone to do it for him.

Zoom in: Mizuhara, 39, agreed to plead guilty to one count each of bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

He was charged in a two-count information filed Wednesday, and is expected to enter a plea in the coming weeks, per the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Catch up quick: Starting in September 2021, Mizuhara began placing sports bets with an illegal bookmaker, according to his plea agreement.

He quickly started to lose bets and became indebted to the bookmaker.
"Unable to pay his gambling debts, [Mizuhara] orchestrated a scheme to deceive and cheat" Ohtani's bank by impersonating him in phone calls to obtain money from his account," the plea states.

Where it stands: His arraignment is scheduled for May 14.

Go deeper: Shohei Ohtani says he never engaged in sports betting

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Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter to plead guilty to stealing millions from Dodgers star

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