Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter now in prison for stealing nearly $17M for gambling debts

The former interpreter of the Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei OhtaniIPPEI Mizuhara, reported on the federal prison in Pennsylvania on Monday, confirmed Mizuhara’s lawyer, Michael Freedman, at Fox News Digital.

Mizuhara was sentenced At 57 months in prison for stealing nearly $ 17 million in Ohtani to repay the game debts.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani, right, then to the interpreter iPpei Mizuhara (Kirby Lee-USA today Sport)

Federal prosecutors asked for a 57 -month prison sentence while asking Mizuhara to pay $ 16.9 million in Ohtani and an additional $ 1.1 million at IRS.

The Dodgers dismissed Mizuhara in March 2024.

Federal investigators filed a complaint against Mizuhara on April 11. A day later, he went to the police, confirmed the Ministry of Justice.

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IPPEI Mizuhara (AP photo / Eric Thayer, file)

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to banking fraud and produced a false declaration of income in June 2024, admitting that he had placed around 19,000 bets with the bookmaker over a period of two years and accumulated more than $ 40 million in debt.

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Los Angeles Dodgers has appointed the shohei ohtani striker, on the left, speaks with the translator Ipei Mizuhara (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SPORTS)

Ohtani publicly addressed The scandal of games of chance at the end of March, saying that he had never placed a sports bet and that the story of Mizuhara on the reimbursement of his game debt of $ 4.5 million was manufactured.

Mizuhara was initially sentenced to presenting himself to prison in March, but a federal judge had a delay. No reason for the delay has been disclosed.

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