Jailed: Baseball phenomenon Ohtani defrauded of £13.7m by ex-translator for gambling debt

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The former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, has been jailed for five years for fraud. The translator, Ippei Mizuhara, stole nearly £13.7m from the baseball star, using the funds to repay substantial gambling debts. 

Mizuhara, who may face deportation back to Japan when he gets out of jail, initially claimed Ohtani had sanctioned the use of his money to repay debts but it has been shown that the Dodgers pitcher was unaware of the interpreter’s actions.

Ohtani is a baseball phenomenon, especially in Los Angeles, where, along with Mookie Betts and MVP Freddie Freeman, he helped win the World Series in 2024. Otherwise known as ‘Shotime’, he previously played for the Los Angeles Angels, having made the move from Nippon Professional Baseball, where he played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. 

Ohtani is considered something of a rarity, taking up the dual role of pitcher and designated hitter. Such was his immediate impact in the Major League Baseball (MLB) that he picked up the ‘Rookie of the Year Award’ in 2018 while playing for the Angels. He has won the MLB MVP award three times, in 2021, 2023, and 2024 and signed a 10-year £563.4m deal with the Dodgers in 2023. 

While everything was going well on the pitch, things were more challenging behind the scenes for Ohtani. It emerged in March 2024 that Ohtani’s name had appeared on £804,825 of wire transfers sent to Southern California bookmaker, Matthew Bowyer. 

In one early statement, it was said that Ohtani had made the wire transfers to repay gambling debts on behalf of long-term translator and friend Ippei Mizuhara. At that time, the debt was believed to be at least £3.6m. 

Following a team meeting where this version of events was relayed to the team, Ohtani asked teammates what had been discussed and stated he did not recognise that version of events. He went on to say he did not know of the gambling debts, had not agreed to cover the debts, and was unaware that Mizuhara had initiated wire transfers in his name. 

Mizuhara later admitted to the theft and to falsifying his 2022 tax returns. A sentencing date was set for 25 October last year. Because this date coincided with the first game of the World Series, it was postponed until 20 December. The Dodgers won the World Series, beating the New York Yankees four games to one. 

Sentencing was again delayed, to allow a forensic psychiatrist the opportunity to assess Mizuhara. Before the sentencing, Mizuhara said he was truly sorry to Ohtani and that he was “prepared to accept the consequences.” 

Mizuhara has been sentenced to 57 months in jail. He has been given 45 days to surrender and has said he will turn himself in on 24 March. The courts have also ordered that the interpreter repay the nearly £13.7m to Ohtani, as well as an additional £800,000 to the IRS for unpaid taxes. 

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