The baseball world was shaken when Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter and confidant of MLB star Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced to 57 months in prison by a federal court in Santa Ana, California. Mizuhara admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese player to cover debts from illegal sports betting. The sentencing followed Mizuhara’s confession of diverting funds from Ohtani’s accounts, a case that stands out not only for the scale of the fraud but also for the deep personal betrayal involved.

In addition to the prison sentence, Mizuhara must pay over $18 million in restitution, nearly $17 million of which will go to Ohtani, with the rest directed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The judge also imposed an additional three years of supervised release following his prison term. The case, which surfaced in March 2024 during a federal investigation into a California bookmaker, marked the end of a decade-long relationship between Ohtani and Mizuhara, who had helped the baseball star transition to Major League Baseball when he joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.

SENTENCING AND REACTIONS

During the trial, Mizuhara apologized to Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the government, and his family, expressing deep regret for his actions. However, prosecutors emphasized that Mizuhara had exploited Ohtani’s vulnerability, as the player did not speak English and was adapting to the baseball world. They described his actions as “shameless.” The prosecution argued that Mizuhara not only abused Ohtani’s trust but also obstructed investigations by lying to authorities and destroying evidence, justifying the severity of the sentence.

Judge John W. Holcomb described the scale of the theft as “astonishingly high” and acknowledged that it “remains to be seen” whether Mizuhara can repay Ohtani. Prosecutors also revealed that part of the stolen money was used for personal purchases, including baseball cards and dental treatments, raising doubts about Mizuhara’s claims of financial desperation. Additionally, it was highlighted that Mizuhara had the ability to authorize electronic transfers from Ohtani’s accounts, enabling the fraud to continue over an extended period.