Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to fraud; MLB clears Shohei Ohtani after probe

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani who became embroiled in a betting scandal in which Mizuhara was accused of stealing almost $17 million from the baseball star, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to charges of bank and tax fraud.

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, and one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. ET.

Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael Freedman, declined comment after Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted close to an hour. Freedman also declined comment on behalf of Mizuhara as the two men were mobbed by reporters outside the courthouse.

Mizuhara earlier acknowledged his guilt in court. When asked by Judge John Holcomb to describe in his own words what he had done, Mizuhara told the court he “worked for victim A,” referring to Ohtani, “and had access to his bank account and had fallen into major gambling debt.

“I went ahead and wired money … with his bank account,” Mizuhara said.

Mizuhara was stone-faced during and after Tuesday’s hearing. He wore a suit with no tie and, when called upon in court, spoke with little emotion. A crowded courtroom, meanwhile, reflected the high-profile nature of his case. Dozens of reporters occupied the gallery, and clerks and other courthouse employees filled the jury box to observe the proceedings.

Shortly after Mizuhara entered his plea Tuesday, MLB said it had cleared Ohtani and closed its investigation into the matter.

“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.

Ohtani said Mizuhara’s admission of guilt “brought important closure” to him and his family.

“I want to sincerely thank the authorities for finishing their thorough and effective investigation so quickly and uncovering all of the evidence,” Ohtani said in a statement. “This has been a uniquely challenging time, so I am especially grateful for my support team — my family, agent, agency, lawyers, and advisors along with the entire Dodger organization, who showed endless support throughout this process.

“It’s time to close this chapter, move on and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames.”

Statement from Shohei Ohtani via a spokesperson after Ippei Mizuhara's guilty plea this morning:

“It's time to close this chapter, move on and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames." pic.twitter.com/OUOeaXJ3QM

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 4, 2024

The DOJ said in a plea agreement announced May 8 that it would recommend a reduced sentence if Mizuhara “demonstrates an acceptance of responsibility.” The plea agreement stated it was expected Mizuhara would almost certainly be deported to Japan, where he was born. The judge will ultimately make the final sentencing determination.

Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on March 21 amid news reports that at least $4.5 million was wired from Ohtani’s accounts to an alleged illegal bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer. Ohtani accused Mizuhara of “massive theft,” alleging that Mizuhara had taken the money without his knowledge. Federal authorities charged Mizuhara with bank fraud on April 11, releasing a 37-page affidavit outlining how the former interpreter gained access to Ohtani’s accounts and used the money to “feed his insatiable appetite for illegal sports betting,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said. Ultimately, authorities said that Mizuhara took almost $17 million from Ohtani.

Mizuhara had worked for Ohtani dating to his arrival in the United States in 2018, when Ohtani hired Mizuhara as his de facto manager and interpreter, according to court documents. Their relationship spanned longer than that, as Mizuhara worked for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of NPB when Ohtani played professionally in Japan from 2013 to 2017. The investigation unearthed no evidence that Ohtani teamed with Mizuhara to place bets, nor that Mizuhara had placed any bets on baseball, prosecutors said.

Mizuhara pleaded not guilty to bank and tax fraud charges on May 14, a formality ahead of the plea deal negotiated with federal prosecutors, Freedman had said.

Tuesday’s change of plea hearing came on the same morning Major League Baseball permanently banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for placing hundreds of bets on baseball, including wagers on the Pittsburgh Pirates when Marcano was a member of that team last season. Marcano is the first major leaguer to be banned for life for gambling on baseball since Pete Rose received a lifetime ban in 1989. On Tuesday, MLB also suspended four other players for one year for violating the league’s gambling policies.

The Los Angeles Dodgers said Tuesday, ahead of their series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, that the team is “pleased that Shohei and the team can put this entire matter behind them and move forward in pursuit of a World Series title.”

Fabian Ardaya, Evan Drellich and Alex Andrejev contributed to this report.

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(Photo: Frederic J. Brown / Getty Images)