Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani interpreter sentenced to 57 months for stealing $17 million

Feb. 6 (UPI) — The former interpreter for Los Angeles superstar Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to 57 months in prison in federal court Thursday for stealing nearly $17 million from the World Series champion.

Ippei Mizuhura, 40, pleaded guilty in May to stealing the money from Ohtani to pay for his gambling debts. He also pleaded guilty to bank fraud and submitting a false tax return. He faced up to 33 years in prison.

Prosecutors pressed to include restitution of nearly $17 million to Ohtani and $1 million to the IRS as part of Mizuhara’s sentence, who admitted that he stole the money to fund his illegal gambling habit and cover debts he incurred.

Ohtani denied any knowledge of Mizuhara’s illegal gambling activity and was not implicated in the case. Investigators corroborated Ohtani’s claims and said the Dodger’s star had no role in Mizuhara’s crimes and did not bet on baseball.

In addition to wagering with Ohtani’s money, Mizuhara spent at least $325,000 on baseball cards among other items, according to prosecutors and Ohtani’s lawyers.

“Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant’s conduct,” prosecutors said in court documents.

Mizuhura said in a letter to the sentencing judge that he was desperate for money and was paid just $11,000 per year as an employee of the Dodgers to translate for Ohtani.

So he started betting on sports but incurred debts, he said.

“My gambling debt had grown so much that I could not find any way to pay it but to use Shohei’s money,” Mizuhura wrote in his letter to the judge.

Mizuhura had a $250,000 salary in 2023, prosecutors countered.

Mizuhura’s lawyer, Michael G. Freedman, said in a sentencing memo that a longstanding gambling addiction, exacerbated by grueling work and “exposure to high-stakes bookmakers in the world of professional athletes” led to his client’s actions.

Prosecutors said there’s no evidence Mizuhura has a gambling addiction. They said he only started betting in 2023, by which time he had already taken millions of dollars from Ohtani.