Interpreter’s Gambling Scheme Leads to $17 Million Theft from Shohei Ohtani

Former Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return after admitting he stole nearly $17 million from star pitcher Shohei Ohtani to cover gambling debts. Mizuhara is serving a 57-month sentence at a low-security federal prison in central Pennsylvania and will be eligible for parole in 2029.

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Mizuhara had worked with Ohtani since the player’s MLB debut, handling translation and media duties. Within a month of beginning to place bets with bookie Mathew Bowyer, Mizuhara’s gambling escalated, prompting the interpreter to divert Ohtani’s earnings into a scheme that ultimately collapsed under federal investigation.

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• Theft amount: nearly $17 million taken from Ohtani.

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• Nevada casino fines: about $34 million for failing to prevent Bowyer’s laundering activities.

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• Mizuhara’s sentence: 57 months, parole eligibility 2029.

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• Bowyer’s sentence: seven months of a year-long term, released from federal custody in May.

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Former U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, **E. Bowyer, who ran the illegal gambling operation, described Mizuhara’s betting as relentless, noting that he recognized the behavior because he himself is a compulsive gambler. The U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case also indicated that addiction alone could not explain the scale of the fraud.

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• “He was absolutely bananas, the amount of bets he was making,” — Mathew Bowyer

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• “I am not convinced he was just a gambling addict and had no choice,” — E. Martín Estrada

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• “Listen, I gambled bigger than most, right? I sleep, you know, I have a life too. He definitely was betting all night long, all the time,” — Mathew Bowyer

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