Shohei Ohtani’s Former Interpreter Sentenced to Nearly Five Years for Financial Fraud

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter and close confidant of MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank and tax fraud in June 2024.

The sentencing comes after a highly publicized scandal in which Mizuhara stole over $17 million from Ohtani by manipulating banking security protocols and impersonating the baseball star to authorize unauthorized wire transfers. His fraudulent activities, fueled by a gambling addiction, were exposed earlier in 2024, leading to his dismissal from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and a federal investigation.

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How Mizuhara Orchestrated the Fraud​

The case gained national attention in March 2024, when ESPN broke the story detailing Mizuhara’s extensive financial deception. Investigators later revealed that he had been transferring large sums of money from Ohtani’s personal accounts without his knowledge.

Key findings from the case include:

• Tampering with banking security measures to gain unauthorized access to Ohtani’s accounts.
• Impersonating Ohtani to approve fraudulent wire transfers.
• Using the stolen funds to cover gambling debts, medical expenses, and personal purchases.
• Spending $325,000 on sports cards, which he intended to resell for profit.

Despite his close working relationship with Ohtani, Mizuhara acted alone in the scheme, and investigators confirmed that Ohtani was unaware of the financial theft until it was discovered by his legal team.

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Ohtani Reclaims Stolen Sports Card Collection​

One of the more unusual aspects of the fraud case was Mizuhara’s use of stolen funds to purchase sports cards, including high-end memorabilia featuring Ohtani, Yogi Berra, and Juan Soto.

Court records indicate that Mizuhara acquired these cards through eBay and Whatnot, intending to flip them for profit. However, in November 2024, Ohtani filed a legal petition seeking the return of the stolen assets. The following month, a judge ruled in his favor, awarding him full ownership of the sports card collection.

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Sentencing and Legal Consequences​

In addition to his 57-month prison sentence, Mizuhara has been ordered to:

• Repay Ohtani $17 million in restitution.
• Pay $1.1 million to the IRS for unpaid taxes.
• Serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.

Due to his status as a Japanese national, Mizuhara may also face deportation once he has completed his sentence.

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The Impact on Ohtani and Major League Baseball​

The Mizuhara case has raised concerns within Major League Baseball about the financial security of high-profile athletes. Ohtani, one of the sport’s most recognizable figures, had placed significant trust in Mizuhara, who had worked alongside him since his arrival in the United States.

While Ohtani has remained largely silent on the matter, the case serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of financial mismanagement and the importance of oversight in handling large sums of money.

With Mizuhara’s sentencing now finalized, Ohtani can turn his attention back to his career, while Major League Baseball looks to learn from the incident to better protect its players in the future.