Judge: Mizuhara must get treatment
LOS ANGELES — A federal judge on Friday ordered the former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to undergo gambling addiction treatment in a sports betting case.
Ippei Mizuhara exploited his personal and professional relationship with Ohtani to plunder $16 million from the two-way player's bank account for years, prosecutors said, at times impersonating Ohtani to bankers so he could cover his bets and debts.
United States Magistrate Judge Maria A. Audero also ordered Mizuhara to be released on an unsecured $25,000 bond, colloquially known as a signature bond. That means that Mizuhara does not have to put up any cash or collateral to be released. If he violates the conditions of his bond, then he will be on the hook for $25,000.
Mizuhara only spoke on Friday to answer the judge's questions, saying “yes” when Audero asked if he understood several parts of the case and his bond conditions.
Wearing a dark suit and a white collared shirt, he entered the courtroom with his ankles shackled, but was not handcuffed. The judge approved his attorney's request to remove the shackles.
Mizuhara turned himself in Friday ahead of his initial court appearance. He is charged with one count of bank fraud and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Other bond conditions stipulate that Mizuhara cannot gamble, either electronically or in-person, or go inside any gambling establishments, or associate with any known bookmakers.
Mizuhara is also prohibited from contacting any victim or witness in the case in any form. He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 9.
Ohtani was not identified by name in the proceeding. Prosecutor Jeff Mitchell, in response to a question from the judge, only said “the victim has been notified.”
Prosecutors said there was no evidence that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara's gambling, and authorities said Ohtani is cooperating with investigators.
Mizuhara was not asked to enter a plea during Friday's brief court appearance in downtown Los Angeles. A criminal complaint, filed Thursday, detailed the alleged scheme through evidence that included text messages, financial records and recordings of phone calls.
While Mizuhara's winning bets totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his own bank account and not Ohtani's, his losing bets were around $183 million — a net loss of nearly $41 million.
In a message to his illegal bookmaker on March 20, the day the Los Angeles Times and ESPN broke the news of the federal investigation, Mizuhara wrote: “Technically I did steal from him. it's all over for me.”
Brewers prospect hit in face, on IL
Milwaukee Brewers third-base prospect Brock Wilken was placed on the 7-day injured list Friday after getting hit on the face with a pitch during a minor league game.
Wilken, the Brewers' 2023 first-round pick, was playing for Double-A Biloxi on Thursday when hit by a pitch from the Mississippi Braves' Domingo Gonzalez during the sixth inning of the Southern League game.
Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said Wilken sustained multiple fractures but didn't have a concussion or experience vision issues.
Guardians’ Bieber done for season
Cleveland Guardians ace Shane Bieber, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, had Tommy John surgery Friday. He had two starts before elbow pain became too overwhelming.