Ohtani Interpreter Allegedly Stole $16 Million, Placed Almost 20,000 Bets

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has been charged with bank fraud after allegedly stealing $16 million from his former employer. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the federal charge on Thursday.

The federal complaint lays out that Mizuhara placed around 19,000 wagers between Dec. 2021 and Jan. 2024, that he won around $142 million on these wagers while losing around $182 million — meaning he was around $40 million in the hole. The complaint adds that the records do not show any bets on baseball games.

Estrada noted on Thursday that Ohtani is “considered a victim in this case” and that Mizuhara — Ohtani’s longtime interpreter and confidant — “had unique access to Mr. Ohtani’s finances” and that he used this position to take advantage of the athlete.

Ohtani fired Mizuhara last month amid a bizarre series of events that began with an ESPN report about a $4.5 million wire transfer from Ohtani’s bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation. Ohtani’s camp initially said Ohtani authorized the transfer in order to get Mizuhara out of debt before changing their story and accusing Mizuhara of “massive theft.”

Ohtani gave one statement on the incident, telling the press that he was “shocked and saddened” by the allegations against Mizuhara, while insisting he does not gamble himself. “I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf. I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports,” he said.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Mizuhara was negotiating a guilty plea and that a federal investigation into the theft was “rapidly nearing a conclusion.”