Thursday, October 31

Ippei Mizuhara In Federal Custody After Allegedly Stealing $16M from Shohei Ohtani

Julia StumbaughApril 12, 2024

JUNG YEON-JE/AFP through Getty Images

Ippei Mizuhara, previous interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, was launched from federal custody on Friday on $25,000 bond and “many other conditions,” according to The Athletic’s Sam Blum.

Mizuhara can’t leave the main district of California without authorization, can’t get in touch with Ohtani and likewise needs to take part in a bettor’s dependency program, per Blum.

Mizuhara, who did not go into a plea, will be arraigned on May 9, according to Blum.

ESPN’s Alden González initially reported Friday that Mizuhara remained in federal custody after giving up to police:

Alden González @Alden_Gonzalez

Ippei Mizuhara gave up to police today and remains in federal custody. He is set up to appear in L.A. court at 1 p.m. PT. The expectation, according to what I was informed the other day, is that he will be discharge on bond at that point.

Mizuhara is being charged with bank scams after supposedly taking more than $16 million from Ohtani.

If founded guilty of bank scams, Mizuhara might get a sentence of approximately 30 years in jail, per Gorman and Julia Harte for Reuters.

Mizuhara might likewise deal with service charges consisting of wire scams and worsened identity theft, per Sportico’s Michael McCann.

The news comes the day after the Department of Justice revealed federal charges versus Mizuhara following the filing of a federal affidavit detailing the criminal grievance.

According to the affidavit, which was signed by IRS unique representative Chris Seymour, $16 million from an account of Ohtani’s that Mizuhara had actually assisted establish was apparently moved to an “unlawful sports book” in between November 2021 and January 2024.

Mizuhara supposedly positioned 19,000 bets throughout that time duration, according to the affidavit. He is implicated of impersonating Ohtani in order to authorize transfers to money a few of the bets.

Ohtani informed police he did not license these transfers, the affidavit states.

Throughout an interview concerning the charges, authorities explained Ohtani as a “victim” who had “worked together completely” with the examination, per Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times.

Ohtani has actually understood Mizuhara because 2013. Mizuhara worked as Ohtani’s interpreter from his finalizing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 till he was fired by the Dodgers in March.

Ohtani, 29, signed a record $700 million, 10-year handle the Dodgers in December. The two-way star is presently making $2 million per season and will delay $680 countless the overall up until completion of the agreement.

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