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|birth_date = December 31, 1984
|birth_date = December 31, 1984
|birth_place = Hokkaido, Japan
|birth_place = Hokkaido, Japan
|charges = [[Bank_Fraud|Bank fraud]], Filing a false tax return
|residence = Diamond Bar, California
|sentence = 57 months
|charges = Bank fraud (1 count), Subscribing to a false tax return (1 count)
|facility = Federal prison
|conviction_date = June 4, 2024
|sentence = 57 months federal prison, 3 years supervised release
|sentencing_date = February 6, 2025
|restitution = $18,124,410
|judge = Hon. John W. Holcomb
|case_number = 8:24-cr-00041 (C.D. Cal.)
|facility = FCI Allenwood Low
|status = Incarcerated
|status = Incarcerated
|occupation = Former baseball interpreter
}}
}}
'''Ippei Mizuhara''' (born December 31, 1984) is a former Major League Baseball interpreter who was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for stealing nearly $17 million from baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani to cover gambling debts.<ref name="doj-sentence">U.S. Department of Justice, "Former Interpreter Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Illegally Transferring Nearly $17 Million from Baseball Star's Bank Account," February 2025, https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-interpreter-sentenced-nearly-5-years-prison-illegally-transferring-nearly-17.</ref> Mizuhara served as Ohtani's personal interpreter starting in 2017, when Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels. He stayed in that role through March 2024, when the Los Angeles Dodgers fired him after discovering the theft. During those years, Mizuhara became one of baseball's most visible figures, appearing at Ohtani's press conferences and games. He even caught for him during the 2021 Home Run Derby.<ref name="espn-sentence">ESPN, "Ippei Mizuhara sentenced to 57 months for stealing from Shohei Ohtani," February 2025, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43721275/mizuhara-sentenced-57-months-prison-ohtani-fraud.</ref> His fall from grace shocked the sports world, exposing both the dangers of gambling addiction and how deeply an athlete can trust the wrong person.


== Summary ==
'''Ippei Mizuhara''' (born December 31, 1984) is a former Major League Baseball interpreter. For most of a decade he worked beside Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani. In 2024 federal prosecutors charged him with draining roughly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account. The money went to an illegal sports bookmaker. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June 2024 to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.<ref name="doj-sentence">U.S. Department of Justice, "Former Interpreter Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Illegally Transferring Nearly $17 Million from Baseball Star's Bank Account," February 2025, https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-interpreter-sentenced-nearly-5-years-prison-illegally-transferring-nearly-17.</ref>


The Ippei Mizuhara case stunned everyone who followed baseball. How could someone so close to a superstar exploit him so thoroughly? Over roughly two and a half years, Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets through an illegal bookmaking operation. He wagered approximately $325 to $326 million on sports events worldwide. His winning bets totaled about $142 million, but his losses exceeded $182 million, leaving him down more than $40 million.<ref name="cbs-sentence">CBS Sports, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay $18.1M," February 2025, https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtanis-former-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced-to-57-months-in-prison-and-must-pay-18-1m/.</ref>
A federal judge sentenced him on February 6, 2025, to 57 months in prison. That is four years and nine months. The court also ordered him to pay more than $18 million in restitution, most of it back to Ohtani.<ref name="doj-sentence" /> He reported to a federal prison in central Pennsylvania in June 2025.<ref name="igb-reports">iGaming Business, "Ohtani's ex-interpreter reports to federal prison for gambling-related crimes," June 2025, https://igamingbusiness.com/sports-betting/ohtani-former-interpreter-reports-prison/.</ref>


To pay those losses, Mizuhara turned to Ohtani's bank account. He changed the security settings without permission, altering the registered phone number and email address so bank employees would call him instead of Ohtani when verifying transactions. On roughly 24 phone calls with the bank, he impersonated Ohtani and authorized wire transfers. Federal prosecutors were adamant: Ohtani never gambled and had no idea his money was disappearing.<ref name="doj-sentence" />
Mizuhara had been Ohtani's interpreter since 2013, first in Japan and then across the player's move to the United States. He became a familiar face at press conferences and in the dugout. He caught for Ohtani during the 2021 Home Run Derby.<ref name="espn-sentence">ESPN, "Ippei Mizuhara sentenced to 57 months for stealing from Shohei Ohtani," February 2025, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43721275/mizuhara-sentenced-57-months-prison-ohtani-fraud.</ref> Federal authorities determined that Ohtani never gambled and did not know his account was being looted.<ref name="doj-sentence" />


== Background ==
== Background ==
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=== Early Life ===
=== Early Life ===


Born on December 31, 1984, in Hokkaido, Japan, Mizuhara moved to Southern California with his family in 1991. His father, Hidemasa, worked as a chef there. The family settled in Diamond Bar, a city in eastern Los Angeles County. Mizuhara attended Chaparral Middle School and Diamond Bar High School, graduating in 2003.<ref name="wiki-mizuhara">Wikipedia, "Ippei Mizuhara," https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ippei_Mizuhara.</ref>
Mizuhara was born on December 31, 1984, in Hokkaido, Japan. His family moved to Southern California in 1991. His father, Hidemasa, worked as a chef. They settled in Diamond Bar, a city in eastern Los Angeles County. Mizuhara attended Chaparral Middle School and then Diamond Bar High School, graduating in 2003.<ref name="nbc-who">NBC News, "Who is Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara? Everything we know," 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-everything-know-rcna144445.</ref>


As a young immigrant, he struggled with English but eventually became fluent in both English and Japanese. Coaches remembered him as quiet and dependable. He was a backup goalie on the varsity soccer team in high school but didn't play much.<ref name="nbc-who">NBC News, "Who is Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara? Everything we know," 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-everything-know-rcna144445.</ref>
He arrived in the United States with little English. He learned it over time and grew fluent in both English and Japanese. In high school he was a backup goalkeeper on the varsity soccer team. He rarely got into games.<ref name="nbc-who" />


Later, Mizuhara claimed he graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007. When the scandal broke in March 2024, the university said they had no record of anyone by that name attending.<ref name="yahoo-mysterious">Yahoo News, "The mysterious life — and questionable claims — of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter," 2024, https://www.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-life-questionable-claims-shohei-100045490.html.</ref>
Mizuhara later said he had graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007. When reporters checked in March 2024, the university said it had no record of any student by that name.<ref name="yahoo-mysterious">Yahoo News, "The mysterious life and questionable claims of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter," 2024, https://www.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-life-questionable-claims-shohei-100045490.html.</ref>


=== Passion for Baseball ===
=== Path to Baseball ===


He never played baseball himself. Still, watching Hideo Nomo pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 changed everything. "I was right in the middle of Nomo Fever," Mizuhara told Sports Illustrated in 2021. After working various jobs, including at a sushi restaurant and for a Japanese sake import company, he decided to become a baseball interpreter.<ref name="espn-lifeline">ESPN, "How interpreter Ippei Mizuhara became players' lifeline," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39963548/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-american-players-japan-gambling-scandal.</ref>
He never played the game himself. His interest traced back to 1995, when Hideo Nomo pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers and set off a wave of Japanese fan interest. "I was right in the middle of Nomo Fever," Mizuhara told Sports Illustrated in 2021. He worked a string of jobs first, including a stint at a sushi restaurant and a position with a Japanese sake importer. Then he decided to become a baseball interpreter.<ref name="espn-lifeline">ESPN, "How interpreter Ippei Mizuhara became players' lifeline," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39963548/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-american-players-japan-gambling-scandal.</ref>


=== Career as an Interpreter ===
=== Career as an Interpreter ===


In 2013, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball hired Mizuhara to translate for English-speaking players. Shohei Ohtani had also just joined the Fighters that year. In Japan, Mizuhara's job went far beyond translation. He helped players get work visas, set up bank accounts, and took them to medical appointments.<ref name="espn-lifeline" />
In 2013 the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball hired Mizuhara to translate for English-speaking players. Ohtani had joined the same club that year. The job ran wider than language. Mizuhara helped foreign players obtain work visas, open bank accounts, and get to medical appointments.<ref name="espn-lifeline" />


When Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017, the team brought Mizuhara along as his personal interpreter. The two men became inseparable. Mizuhara was at Ohtani's side constantly, appearing at virtually every public event. He even participated in baseball activities with him, throwing during warmups and catching during the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby. During the 2021-22 MLB lockout, Mizuhara resigned temporarily from his Angels position to skirt rules preventing player-team contact. This let him keep working with Ohtani.<ref name="wiki-mizuhara" />
Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017. The team brought Mizuhara along as his personal interpreter. The two became close. Mizuhara was at Ohtani's side at nearly every public appearance. He took part in on-field warmups and caught for Ohtani at the 2021 Home Run Derby.<ref name="espn-lifeline" /> During the 2021-22 MLB lockout he briefly stepped away from his Angels role so he could keep working with Ohtani without violating rules that barred team contact with players.<ref name="nbc-who" />


When Ohtani signed his record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2024 season, Mizuhara came along as his interpreter. Less than three months later, the scandal emerged and ended everything.<ref name="espn-sentence" />
When Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, Mizuhara followed him there. Within three months the case broke and the job was gone.<ref name="espn-sentence" />


== The Gambling Scandal ==
== The Theft and Gambling ==


=== Connection to Illegal Bookmaker ===
Mizuhara's gambling problem started with a poker game. In September 2021 he attended one alongside Angels players and coaches. There he met Mathew Bowyer, an illegal bookmaker. Bowyer set up a betting account for him on a Costa Rica-based gambling site that Bowyer ran.<ref name="cbs-sentence">CBS Sports, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay $18.1M," February 2025, https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtanis-former-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced-to-57-months-in-prison-and-must-pay-18-1m/.</ref>


In September 2021, Mizuhara attended a poker game with Los Angeles Angels players and coaches. That's where he met [[Mathew_Bowyer|Mathew Bowyer]], an illegal bookmaker. Shortly after, Bowyer set up a betting account for Mizuhara on AnyActionSports.com, a Costa Rica-based gambling website Bowyer ran.<ref name="cbs-sentence" />
The betting escalated fast. Within about a month Bowyer could see he was dealing with a problem gambler. Mizuhara wagered around the clock, often on soccer matches in obscure overseas leagues. His average bet ran roughly $12,800. He placed something close to 25 bets a day.<ref name="irs-sentence">IRS Criminal Investigation, "Former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from baseball star's bank account," February 2025, https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/former-interpreter-sentenced-to-nearly-5-years-in-prison-for-illegally-transferring-nearly-17-million-from-baseball-stars-bank-account.</ref>


Within 30 days, Bowyer knew he had a problem gambler on his hands. Mizuhara bet constantly. Soccer matches in obscure leagues, events around the world, at all hours of the day and night. His average bet was about $12,800. He placed roughly 25 bets every single day.<ref name="irs-sentence">IRS, "Former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from baseball star's bank account," February 2025, https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/former-interpreter-sentenced-to-nearly-5-years-in-prison-for-illegally-transferring-nearly-17-million-from-baseball-stars-bank-account.</ref>
Over roughly two and a half years the totals reached a staggering scale. Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets. The wagers added up to about $325 million. He won roughly $142 million of that and lost more than $182 million. The gap left him down over $40 million.<ref name="cbs-sentence" />


=== Stealing from Ohtani ===
He covered the losses with Ohtani's money. Starting no later than November 2021 and running through March 2024, Mizuhara logged into Ohtani's bank account using the password. He changed the account's security settings. He swapped out the registered email address and phone number so that bank staff would reach him, not Ohtani, when they called to verify a transaction.<ref name="doj-sentence" />


As his losses mounted into the millions, Mizuhara began stealing from Ohtani to settle his debts. Starting no later than November 2021 and continuing through March 2024, he accessed Ohtani's bank account using his password. He changed the security protocols without Ohtani's knowledge. The registered email address and phone number both got altered, ensuring that bank employees would contact him, not Ohtani, when verifying transactions.<ref name="doj-sentence" />
On about two dozen calls with the bank, Mizuhara posed as Ohtani. He used the player's personal details to authorize wire transfers to associates of the bookmaker. In all he moved roughly $17 million out of the account through more than 40 wires.<ref name="doj-sentence" /><ref name="mlb-plea">MLB.com, "Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to bank, tax fraud charges," June 2024, https://www.mlb.com/news/ippei-mizuhara-guilty-plea.</ref>


On approximately 24 phone calls with the bank, Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani and used his personal information to authorize wire transfers. Over that time, he stole approximately $16.975 million from Ohtani's account.<ref name="doj-sentence" />
The fraud reached his taxes too. For 2022 Mizuhara reported taxable income of $136,865. He left out about $4.1 million in additional income that year.<ref name="mlb-plea" />


=== Discovery and Termination ===
Everything came apart in March 2024. Federal investigators were following money tied to Bowyer's operation when they spotted the transfers out of Ohtani's account. On March 20, 2024, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara after Ohtani's representatives reported the theft. Prosecutors said from the start that Ohtani was a victim. He had not gambled. He had not known.<ref name="espn-sentence" />


Everything unraveled in March 2024. Federal investigators were tracking money related to Bowyer's illegal gambling operation when they discovered the wire transfers from Ohtani's account. On March 20, 2024, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara after Ohtani's representatives reported the "massive theft." From the start, federal prosecutors made it clear that Ohtani was purely a victim. He never gambled. He had no knowledge of the thefts.<ref name="espn-sentence" />
== Charges and Guilty Plea ==


== Legal Proceedings ==
Federal authorities filed a criminal complaint in April 2024 accusing Mizuhara of bank fraud. The affidavit stated there was no evidence Ohtani knew about the gambling or the transfers.<ref name="abc-sentence">ABC News, "Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in fraud case," February 2025, https://abcnews.com/US/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-sentencing-gambling-fraud-case/story?id=118489045.</ref> A grand jury indictment followed in the Central District of California.


=== Charges and Guilty Plea ===
On June 4, 2024, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to two counts. The first was bank fraud. The second was subscribing to a false tax return, which covered the income he failed to report for 2022.<ref name="mlb-plea" /> In the plea agreement he admitted impersonating Ohtani on the calls to the bank and transferring the money to pay his debts.<ref name="espn-plea">ESPN, "Ohtani's ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara to plead guilty to bank, tax fraud," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40107683/shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-pleads-guilty.</ref>


On April 11, 2024, federal prosecutors charged Mizuhara with one count of [[Bank_Fraud|bank fraud]]. He turned himself in the next day and was released on a $25,000 bond. On June 4, 2024, Mizuhara [[Plea_Agreements_and_Trial_Procedures|pleaded guilty]] to bank fraud and to filing a false [[Tax_Evasion|tax return]]. The latter charge related to his failure to report gambling winnings on his taxes.<ref name="wiki-mizuhara" />
== Sentencing ==


=== Sentencing ===
U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara on February 6, 2025. The term was 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. That fell below the 63-month sentence prosecutors had asked for.<ref name="doj-sentence" />


U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara on February 6, 2025, to 57 months in federal prison. This was slightly below the 63-month term prosecutors had recommended. The judge ordered him to pay $16,975,010 in [[Restitution,_Fines,_and_Forfeiture|restitution]] to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the IRS, plus three years of [[Supervised_Release|supervised release]].<ref name="doj-sentence" />
The judge ordered restitution of $16,975,010 to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the Internal Revenue Service. The combined figure came to more than $18 million.<ref name="doj-sentence" />


At the [[Sentencing_Hearings:_Procedures_and_Considerations|sentencing hearing]], prosecutors didn't hold back. "Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant's conduct," they stated in court documents.<ref name="nbc-sentence">NBC News, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in gambling-linked theft," February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shohei-ohtani-former-interpreter-set-sentenced-gambling-linked-theft-rcna190978.</ref>
Prosecutors were direct about who had been harmed. "Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant's conduct," they wrote in court filings.<ref name="nbc-sentence">NBC News, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in gambling-linked theft," February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shohei-ohtani-former-interpreter-set-sentenced-gambling-linked-theft-rcna190978.</ref> The investigation had been run by Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles and IRS Criminal Investigation.<ref name="ice-sentence">U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "Former Major League Baseball interpreter sentenced to 57 months imprisonment, following HSI Los Angeles, IRS-CI investigation," February 2025, https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/former-major-league-baseball-interpreter-sentenced-57-months-imprisonment-following.</ref>


== Prison Status and Deportation ==
== Incarceration ==


Mizuhara was ordered to [[Self-Surrender_Procedures|surrender to federal prison]] by March 24, 2025. His attorney, Michael G. Freedman, said that Mizuhara, a Japanese citizen, is expected to be deported after finishing his sentence.<ref name="fox-sentence">Fox LA, "Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, sentenced for stealing millions," February 2025, https://www.foxla.com/news/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced.</ref>
The court first ordered Mizuhara to surrender by late March 2025. His report date was pushed back twice. He reported in June 2025.<ref name="igb-reports" />


== Terminology ==
The Bureau of Prisons designated him to FCI Allenwood Low, a minimum-security facility in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles north of Harrisburg. He arrived around midday. His BOP register number is 09459-511.<ref name="fos-prison">Front Office Sports, "Ohtani's Former Interpreter Reports to Prison After Delays," June 2025, https://frontofficesports.com/ippei-mizuhara-federal-prison-pennsylvania/.</ref>


* '''[[Bank_Fraud|Bank Fraud]]''': A federal crime involving a scheme to defraud a financial institution or obtain money from a bank through false pretenses.
Mizuhara is a Japanese citizen. His attorney, Michael G. Freedman, has said he is expected to be deported to Japan after he finishes his sentence.<ref name="fox-sentence">Fox LA, "Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, sentenced for stealing millions," February 2025, https://www.foxla.com/news/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced.</ref>
 
* '''[[Wire_Fraud|Wire Transfer]]''': An electronic transfer of funds from one bank account to another.
 
* '''Problem Gambling''': Gambling behavior that causes harm to the gambler or others, often characterized by loss of control.
 
* '''[[Restitution,_Fines,_and_Forfeiture|Restitution]]''': Court-ordered payment to compensate victims for their financial losses.
 
== See Also ==
 
* [[Mathew_Bowyer|Mathew Bowyer]]
* [[Bank_Fraud|Bank Fraud]]
* [[Tax_Evasion|Tax Evasion]]
* [[Restitution,_Fines,_and_Forfeiture|Restitution, Fines, and Forfeiture]]
* [[Self-Surrender_Procedures|Self-Surrender Procedures]]
* [[Supervised_Release|Supervised Release]]
* [[Plea_Agreements_and_Trial_Procedures|Plea Agreements and Trial Procedures]]
* [[Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines_and_Offense_Enhancements|Federal Sentencing Guidelines]]
* [[Index_of_Federal_Prison_Facilities|Federal Prison Facilities]]


== Frequently Asked Questions ==
== Frequently Asked Questions ==
{{FAQSection/Start}}
{{FAQSection/Start}}
{{FAQ|question=What was Ippei Mizuhara charged with?|answer=Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return after stealing approximately $17 million from Ohtani to pay gambling debts.}}
{{FAQ|question=What did Ippei Mizuhara do?|answer=Mizuhara was Shohei Ohtani's interpreter. Federal prosecutors say he transferred roughly $17 million out of Ohtani's bank account between November 2021 and March 2024 to pay an illegal sports bookmaker. He impersonated Ohtani on about two dozen calls to the bank. He pleaded guilty in June 2024 to bank fraud and to subscribing to a false tax return.}}
{{FAQ|question=How much money did Ippei Mizuhara steal?|answer=Mizuhara stole approximately $17 million from Shohei Ohtani's bank account to pay off debts to an illegal sports bookmaking operation.}}
{{FAQ|question=How long is Ippei Mizuhara's sentence?|answer=U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara on February 6, 2025, to 57 months in federal prison. That is four years and nine months. The sentence is followed by three years of supervised release.}}
{{FAQ|question=What was Ippei Mizuhara's sentence?|answer=Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, ordered to pay over $18 million in restitution, and will likely be deported to Japan after serving his sentence.}}
{{FAQ|question=How much did Ippei Mizuhara steal?|answer=He moved about $17 million out of Ohtani's account. The court ordered him to pay $16,975,010 in restitution to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the IRS, for a total above $18 million.}}
{{FAQ|question=Did Shohei Ohtani know about the theft?|answer=Federal prosecutors stated that Ohtani was a victim of the fraud and had no knowledge of or involvement in Mizuhara's theft or gambling activities.}}
{{FAQ|question=Where is Ippei Mizuhara incarcerated?|answer=He is held at FCI Allenwood Low, a minimum-security federal facility in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles north of Harrisburg. He reported in June 2025. His Bureau of Prisons register number is 09459-511.}}
{{FAQ|question=What was Ippei Mizuhara's gambling problem?|answer=Mizuhara admitted to having a severe gambling addiction, placing at least 19,000 illegal sports bets totaling approximately $325-326 million that resulted in massive debts he covered by stealing from Ohtani.}}
{{FAQ|question=Did Shohei Ohtani know about the theft?|answer=No. Federal authorities determined that Ohtani was a victim. There was no evidence he gambled or knew that his bank account was being used to pay Mizuhara's debts.}}
{{FAQ|question=How did Ippei Mizuhara get caught?|answer=Federal investigators were tracing money tied to the bookmaker's operation when they found the wire transfers from Ohtani's account. The Dodgers fired Mizuhara on March 20, 2024, after Ohtani's representatives reported the theft.}}
{{FAQ|question=Will Ippei Mizuhara be deported?|answer=His attorney has said Mizuhara, a Japanese citizen, is expected to be deported to Japan once he completes his federal sentence.}}
{{FAQSection/End}}
{{FAQSection/End}}


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[[Category:Incarcerated]]
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{{MetaDescription|Learn about Ippei Mizuhara's federal case, conviction, and prison experience on Prisonpedia.}}
{{MetaDescription|Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, sentenced to 57 months for a $17 million bank fraud. Case file, plea, sentencing, and prison on Prisonpedia.}}

Revision as of 13:31, 3 June 2026

Ippei Mizuhara
Born: December 31, 1984
Hokkaido, Japan
Charges: Bank fraud (1 count), Subscribing to a false tax return (1 count)
Sentence: 57 months federal prison, 3 years supervised release
Facility: FCI Allenwood Low
Status: Incarcerated


Ippei Mizuhara (born December 31, 1984) is a former Major League Baseball interpreter. For most of a decade he worked beside Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani. In 2024 federal prosecutors charged him with draining roughly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account. The money went to an illegal sports bookmaker. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June 2024 to one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.[1]

A federal judge sentenced him on February 6, 2025, to 57 months in prison. That is four years and nine months. The court also ordered him to pay more than $18 million in restitution, most of it back to Ohtani.[1] He reported to a federal prison in central Pennsylvania in June 2025.[2]

Mizuhara had been Ohtani's interpreter since 2013, first in Japan and then across the player's move to the United States. He became a familiar face at press conferences and in the dugout. He caught for Ohtani during the 2021 Home Run Derby.[3] Federal authorities determined that Ohtani never gambled and did not know his account was being looted.[1]

Background

Early Life

Mizuhara was born on December 31, 1984, in Hokkaido, Japan. His family moved to Southern California in 1991. His father, Hidemasa, worked as a chef. They settled in Diamond Bar, a city in eastern Los Angeles County. Mizuhara attended Chaparral Middle School and then Diamond Bar High School, graduating in 2003.[4]

He arrived in the United States with little English. He learned it over time and grew fluent in both English and Japanese. In high school he was a backup goalkeeper on the varsity soccer team. He rarely got into games.[4]

Mizuhara later said he had graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2007. When reporters checked in March 2024, the university said it had no record of any student by that name.[5]

Path to Baseball

He never played the game himself. His interest traced back to 1995, when Hideo Nomo pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers and set off a wave of Japanese fan interest. "I was right in the middle of Nomo Fever," Mizuhara told Sports Illustrated in 2021. He worked a string of jobs first, including a stint at a sushi restaurant and a position with a Japanese sake importer. Then he decided to become a baseball interpreter.[6]

Career as an Interpreter

In 2013 the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball hired Mizuhara to translate for English-speaking players. Ohtani had joined the same club that year. The job ran wider than language. Mizuhara helped foreign players obtain work visas, open bank accounts, and get to medical appointments.[6]

Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017. The team brought Mizuhara along as his personal interpreter. The two became close. Mizuhara was at Ohtani's side at nearly every public appearance. He took part in on-field warmups and caught for Ohtani at the 2021 Home Run Derby.[6] During the 2021-22 MLB lockout he briefly stepped away from his Angels role so he could keep working with Ohtani without violating rules that barred team contact with players.[4]

When Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, Mizuhara followed him there. Within three months the case broke and the job was gone.[3]

The Theft and Gambling

Mizuhara's gambling problem started with a poker game. In September 2021 he attended one alongside Angels players and coaches. There he met Mathew Bowyer, an illegal bookmaker. Bowyer set up a betting account for him on a Costa Rica-based gambling site that Bowyer ran.[7]

The betting escalated fast. Within about a month Bowyer could see he was dealing with a problem gambler. Mizuhara wagered around the clock, often on soccer matches in obscure overseas leagues. His average bet ran roughly $12,800. He placed something close to 25 bets a day.[8]

Over roughly two and a half years the totals reached a staggering scale. Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets. The wagers added up to about $325 million. He won roughly $142 million of that and lost more than $182 million. The gap left him down over $40 million.[7]

He covered the losses with Ohtani's money. Starting no later than November 2021 and running through March 2024, Mizuhara logged into Ohtani's bank account using the password. He changed the account's security settings. He swapped out the registered email address and phone number so that bank staff would reach him, not Ohtani, when they called to verify a transaction.[1]

On about two dozen calls with the bank, Mizuhara posed as Ohtani. He used the player's personal details to authorize wire transfers to associates of the bookmaker. In all he moved roughly $17 million out of the account through more than 40 wires.[1][9]

The fraud reached his taxes too. For 2022 Mizuhara reported taxable income of $136,865. He left out about $4.1 million in additional income that year.[9]

Everything came apart in March 2024. Federal investigators were following money tied to Bowyer's operation when they spotted the transfers out of Ohtani's account. On March 20, 2024, the Dodgers fired Mizuhara after Ohtani's representatives reported the theft. Prosecutors said from the start that Ohtani was a victim. He had not gambled. He had not known.[3]

Charges and Guilty Plea

Federal authorities filed a criminal complaint in April 2024 accusing Mizuhara of bank fraud. The affidavit stated there was no evidence Ohtani knew about the gambling or the transfers.[10] A grand jury indictment followed in the Central District of California.

On June 4, 2024, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to two counts. The first was bank fraud. The second was subscribing to a false tax return, which covered the income he failed to report for 2022.[9] In the plea agreement he admitted impersonating Ohtani on the calls to the bank and transferring the money to pay his debts.[11]

Sentencing

U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara on February 6, 2025. The term was 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. That fell below the 63-month sentence prosecutors had asked for.[1]

The judge ordered restitution of $16,975,010 to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the Internal Revenue Service. The combined figure came to more than $18 million.[1]

Prosecutors were direct about who had been harmed. "Let there be no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is truly a victim and has suffered, and will continue to suffer, harm from defendant's conduct," they wrote in court filings.[12] The investigation had been run by Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles and IRS Criminal Investigation.[13]

Incarceration

The court first ordered Mizuhara to surrender by late March 2025. His report date was pushed back twice. He reported in June 2025.[2]

The Bureau of Prisons designated him to FCI Allenwood Low, a minimum-security facility in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles north of Harrisburg. He arrived around midday. His BOP register number is 09459-511.[14]

Mizuhara is a Japanese citizen. His attorney, Michael G. Freedman, has said he is expected to be deported to Japan after he finishes his sentence.[15]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What did Ippei Mizuhara do?

Mizuhara was Shohei Ohtani's interpreter. Federal prosecutors say he transferred roughly $17 million out of Ohtani's bank account between November 2021 and March 2024 to pay an illegal sports bookmaker. He impersonated Ohtani on about two dozen calls to the bank. He pleaded guilty in June 2024 to bank fraud and to subscribing to a false tax return.


Q: How long is Ippei Mizuhara's sentence?

U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb sentenced Mizuhara on February 6, 2025, to 57 months in federal prison. That is four years and nine months. The sentence is followed by three years of supervised release.


Q: How much did Ippei Mizuhara steal?

He moved about $17 million out of Ohtani's account. The court ordered him to pay $16,975,010 in restitution to Ohtani and $1,149,400 to the IRS, for a total above $18 million.


Q: Where is Ippei Mizuhara incarcerated?

He is held at FCI Allenwood Low, a minimum-security federal facility in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles north of Harrisburg. He reported in June 2025. His Bureau of Prisons register number is 09459-511.


Q: Did Shohei Ohtani know about the theft?

No. Federal authorities determined that Ohtani was a victim. There was no evidence he gambled or knew that his bank account was being used to pay Mizuhara's debts.


Q: How did Ippei Mizuhara get caught?

Federal investigators were tracing money tied to the bookmaker's operation when they found the wire transfers from Ohtani's account. The Dodgers fired Mizuhara on March 20, 2024, after Ohtani's representatives reported the theft.


Q: Will Ippei Mizuhara be deported?

His attorney has said Mizuhara, a Japanese citizen, is expected to be deported to Japan once he completes his federal sentence.


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 U.S. Department of Justice, "Former Interpreter Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Illegally Transferring Nearly $17 Million from Baseball Star's Bank Account," February 2025, https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-interpreter-sentenced-nearly-5-years-prison-illegally-transferring-nearly-17.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 iGaming Business, "Ohtani's ex-interpreter reports to federal prison for gambling-related crimes," June 2025, https://igamingbusiness.com/sports-betting/ohtani-former-interpreter-reports-prison/.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 ESPN, "Ippei Mizuhara sentenced to 57 months for stealing from Shohei Ohtani," February 2025, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43721275/mizuhara-sentenced-57-months-prison-ohtani-fraud.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 NBC News, "Who is Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara? Everything we know," 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-everything-know-rcna144445.
  5. ↑ Yahoo News, "The mysterious life and questionable claims of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter," 2024, https://www.yahoo.com/news/mysterious-life-questionable-claims-shohei-100045490.html.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 ESPN, "How interpreter Ippei Mizuhara became players' lifeline," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39963548/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-american-players-japan-gambling-scandal.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 CBS Sports, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, sentenced to 57 months in prison and must pay $18.1M," February 2025, https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/shohei-ohtanis-former-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced-to-57-months-in-prison-and-must-pay-18-1m/.
  8. ↑ IRS Criminal Investigation, "Former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from baseball star's bank account," February 2025, https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/former-interpreter-sentenced-to-nearly-5-years-in-prison-for-illegally-transferring-nearly-17-million-from-baseball-stars-bank-account.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 MLB.com, "Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to bank, tax fraud charges," June 2024, https://www.mlb.com/news/ippei-mizuhara-guilty-plea.
  10. ↑ ABC News, "Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in fraud case," February 2025, https://abcnews.com/US/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-sentencing-gambling-fraud-case/story?id=118489045.
  11. ↑ ESPN, "Ohtani's ex-interpreter Ippei Mizuhara to plead guilty to bank, tax fraud," 2024, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40107683/shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-pleads-guilty.
  12. ↑ NBC News, "Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter sentenced to nearly 5 years in gambling-linked theft," February 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shohei-ohtani-former-interpreter-set-sentenced-gambling-linked-theft-rcna190978.
  13. ↑ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "Former Major League Baseball interpreter sentenced to 57 months imprisonment, following HSI Los Angeles, IRS-CI investigation," February 2025, https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/former-major-league-baseball-interpreter-sentenced-57-months-imprisonment-following.
  14. ↑ Front Office Sports, "Ohtani's Former Interpreter Reports to Prison After Delays," June 2025, https://frontofficesports.com/ippei-mizuhara-federal-prison-pennsylvania/.
  15. ↑ Fox LA, "Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, sentenced for stealing millions," February 2025, https://www.foxla.com/news/shohei-ohtani-interpreter-ippei-mizuhara-sentenced.


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