Ippei Mizuhara Reports to Federal Prison Following Major Fraud Case Involving Shohei Ohtani
In a significant turn of events, Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has reported to federal prison in Pennsylvania. Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael Freedman, confirmed this news to Fox News Digital. He has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for embezzling nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover his gambling debts.
Federal prosecutors initially sought a 57-month prison term while also demanding Mizuhara pay $16.9 million in restitution to Ohtani and an additional $1.1 million to the IRS. Mizuhara was dismissed by the Dodgers in March 2024 due to the ongoing scandal.
The legal troubles for Mizuhara began with a federal complaint filed on April 11, 2024. He voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement the following day, as confirmed by the Department of Justice. In June 2024, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to charges of bank fraud and filing a false tax return. He admitted to placing approximately 19,000 bets with a bookie over two years, which resulted in over $40 million in gambling debt.
Ohtani publicly addressed the controversy in late March, asserting that he had never placed a sports bet himself and labeling Mizuhara’s claims about covering a $4.5 million gambling debt as false.
Originally, Mizuhara was ordered to report to prison in March, but a federal judge granted a delay for undisclosed reasons.
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About the Author: Jackson Thompson
Jackson Thompson is a seasoned sports writer for Fox News Digital, with previous experience at ESPN and Business Insider. He has covered major sporting events, including the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed legendary athletes such as Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, and David Ortiz.
