Mizuhara Granted Extra Time Before Serving Gambling Sentence

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of MLB star Shohei Ohtani, is scheduled to report to federal prison by May 12 for gambling-related crimes, according to court filings unsealed Monday. 

Mizuhara, 40, was initially supposed to begin his 57-month sentence by March 24 after pleading guilty to bank and tax fraud charges. His attorney, Michael G. Freedman, filed a request on March 12 to postpone the date. That request remains under seal and is not available to the public.  

How Mizuhara Stole Millions to Fund a Gambling Habit

Mizuhara was sentenced in February to 57 months imprisonment after he admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover approximately $40 million in gambling debts to an illegal California bookmaker. U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb described the amount he took as “shockingly high” and said he hoped Mizuhara would be able to repay it. He was also ordered to pay $16 million in restitution to Ohtani, as well as $1.1 million to the IRS. 

The California bookmaker in question was Matthew Bowyer, who was the focal point in Resorts World Las Vegas’ mammoth fine last month. Bowyer was found to be running an illegal bookmaking company with over 700 clients and had racked up over $8 million in losses while gambling at Resorts World.

Executives at the company continued to ignore flagrant AML red flags and gave Bowyer extended VIP privileges. The $10.5 million fine levied on RWLV is the second-largest gaming-related penalty ever imposed in the state’s history. 

Over 19,000 illegal wagers, from $10 to $160,000

Mizuhara’s attorney had asked for an 18-month sentence, citing his “long-standing” gambling addiction. 

Over a span of 37 months, Mizuhara, one of Ohtani’s closest confidants during his distinguished playing career, placed more than 19,000 illegal wagers, which ranged from $10 to $160,000. All told, he racked up approximately $182.9 million in losses. 

According to an affidavit, Mizuhara placed approximately 24 phone calls, impersonating Ohtani in attempts to wire large amounts of money. The first unauthorized payment from Ohtani’s bank account was for $40,010 in November 2021, when Ohtani played for the Los Angeles Angels. In January, federal prosecutors released an audio recording in which Mizuhara, disguised as Ohtani, attempted to transfer $200,000 for a car loan. 

MLB Investigation Clears Ohtani of Wrongdoing

Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers in March 2024 after accusations of theft surfaced. In June, MLB cleared Ohtani of any potential wrongdoing following an investigation.

 “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,” the league said in a statement.

Ohtani also released a statement in which he thanked authorities for “finishing their thorough and effective investigation so quickly and uncovering all of the evidence” and expressed gratitude for the support he received from his peers, including the Dodgers organization. 

“Now that the investigation has been completed, this full admission of guilt has brought important closure to me and my family,” Ohtani said, adding, “It’s time to close this chapter, move on, and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames.” 

Ohtani, 30, is now in the second year of a 10-year, $700 million contract he signed with the Dodgers in December 2023. At the time, it was the richest contract in MLB history — but outfielder Juan Soto surpassed it when he inked a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets this past December. Ohtani became baseball’s first 50-50 player in his first season as a Dodger when he slugged 54 home runs and stole 59 bases and received his third MVP award. The Dodgers won the World Series, beating the New York Yankees in five games.