A former interpreter has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from the bank account of Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Ippei Mizuhara, 40, from Newport Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb and ordered to pay restitution totaling $18,124,410 to both Ohtani and the IRS.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June 2024 to charges of bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return. He remains free on a $25,000 bond but must surrender to authorities by March 24.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally commented on the case: “Mr. Mizuhara had a unique position of trust that gave him power, brought him fame, and paid him well.” He added that Mizuhara exploited his role to steal millions from his friend.
Special Agent Tyler Hatcher from IRS Criminal Investigation noted that Mizuhara used his position as an advisor to cover gambling debts through illegal means. “This sentencing should serve as a warning to those who neglect to report all income during tax season,” Hatcher stated.
John Pasciucco, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles, emphasized the misuse of trust in this case: “The HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force will leverage all partnerships to locate and bring to justice those who commit financial crimes.”
Mizuhara worked as Ohtani's translator and manager while he played for the Los Angeles Angels and later the Los Angeles Dodgers. His duties included handling interactions with Ohtani’s agents and financial advisors who did not speak Japanese.
The fraudulent activities began in September 2021 when Mizuhara incurred gambling debts with an illegal bookmaker. To pay off these debts, he accessed Ohtani’s bank account without authorization by changing security details so that verification calls went directly to him instead of Ohtani.
From November 2021 until March 2024, Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani on multiple occasions for unauthorized wire transfers. Additionally, he used funds from Ohtani’s account for personal expenses such as dental work and purchasing baseball cards worth approximately $325,000 with plans for resale.
In February 2024, Mizuhara filed a false tax return claiming significantly lower income than he earned, leading to unpaid taxes amounting to $1,149,400 for the year 2022.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation alongside Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Mitchell and Jonathan Galatzan.