Ohtani’s ex-interpreter strikes plea deal
Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of bank fraud and filing a false tax return and was ordered to pay nearly $17 million in restitution to the baseball star, according to details of a plea agreement filed Wednesday.
Mizuhara, 39, faced up to 33 years in federal prison had his case gone to trial after federal agents alleged he stole millions of dollars from Ohtani and funneled them to an illegal bookmaker to cover his gambling debts. As part of Mizuhara’s agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutors will recommend a two-level reduction in Mizuhara’s prison term.
With the reduction and Mizuhara’s status as a first-time offender, the recommended prison sentence would range from seven to nine years, according to The Washington Post, although the agreement stipulates prosecutors cannot guarantee the length of sentence once he goes before a judge for sentencing in the Central District of California.
Mizuhara also must pay a $1.15 million fine to the IRS, after he failed to report more than $4 million in income – ostensibly thieved from Ohtani – in tax year 2022 and then knowingly signed a false return.
His attorney, Michael Freedman declined to comment Wednesday.
Mizuhara’s plea puts much of the burgeoning scandal behind Ohtani, who was befriended by Mizuhara a decade ago and retained him when he switched ballclubs this offseason.