A nearly four-minute audio recording of Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, was disclosed this week by federal prosecutors which shows Mizuhara impersonating the Los Angeles Dodgers star in order to wire $200,000 from Ohtani's bank account.
According to the prosecutors' filing, Mizuhara called the bank 24 times and identified himself as Ohtani to an employee.
Mizuhara told the employee he needed to send $200,000 for a car loan. When asked his relationship to the payee, he told the agent, "He's my friend."
“Have you met your friend in person?” the agent asked.
“Yes, many times,” Mizuhara says.
When asked later if he plans on conducting future wires to his friend, Mizuhara responds, "Possibly."
Mizuhara admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts. Prosecutors asked for restitution of that amount to Ohtani and an additional $1.1 million to the IRS.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges in a California federal court in June. Federal prosecutors have recommended a 57-month prison sentence, while Mizuhara's attorney asked for an 18-month sentence in a separate court filing citing Mizuhara's gambling addiction, in which he claims to owe a debt of $40.7 million. The lawyer said that his client is attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings three times a week.
Mizuhara is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6.
Per the federal criminal complaint against Mizuhara, he made 19,000 sports bets with an illegal bookie from December 2021 through January 2024, with bets ranging from $10 to $160,000, with an average wager of $12,800. He averaged roughly 25 bets per day.
Records show that he won roughly $142.3 million in sports wagers and lost more than $182.9 million, adding up to a net loss of roughly $40.7 million.
News of the scandal broke in March as Ohtani prepared to play his first season with the Dodgers.
