Serving time
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter is facing significant prison time after stealing over $17m from his ex-employer to pay his gambling debts.
prosecutors are recommending a 57-month sentence for Ippe Mizuhara
Federal prosecutors are recommending a 57-month sentence for Ippe Mizuhara, versus the 18-month term the defendant’s legal team is seeking when the sentencing takes place on February 6. It will ultimately be up to the judge to decide the prison term.
Mizuhara’s attorney explained that his client’s struggles with gambling addiction date back to when he was 18 years old and would visit casinos up to five times a week before moving on to sports betting and poker.
He developed a relationship with illegal bookie Mathew Bowyer after moving to Los Angeles, placing about 19,000 wagers with him during a two-year period and racking up more than $40m in debt.
Hoodwinked the bank
The prosecutors are hoping to sway the sentencing decision by disclosing audio recordings of the ex-interpreter impersonating Ohtani on 24 occasions when speaking with bank officials.
impersonated the MLB star and was able to provide verification information
In one example, Mizuhara rang the bank to wire funds, claiming that he couldn’t access the online banking portal. He impersonated the MLB star and was able to provide verification information, including a six-digit code the official sent by SMS.
Mizuhara told the bank that he was sending $200,000 for a car loan; when the bank agent asked if he knew the recipient, Mizuhara said it was a friend and stated it was possible he would be sending future transfers to the same account. While prosecutors redacted the name of the true recipient, ESPN reported in May that some of the wires were to Ryan Boyajian, an associate of Bowyer.
The fallout
Prosecutors want Mizuhara to pay back the $17m as restitution and another $1.1m to the IRS, although they are aware that the chances of him being able to do so are very slim. He worked as an Uber Eats driver after the scandal emerged before losing his job due to the pending legal action.
Mizuhara has expressed his regret over the fraud and apologized to Ohtani in his letter to the judge as he pleaded for a more lenient sentence, saying: “I want to say I am truly sorry for violating his trust in me.”