What you need to know
- Ippei Mizuhara is facing federal bank fraud charges for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s account.
- In a criminal complaint filed in support of the charges, Mizuhara is accused of placing approximately 19,000 bets between December 2021 and January 2024.
- He is accused of stealing $16 million from Ohtani’s account to pay off large sports gambling debts.
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter stole from his longtime friend and one of the world’s most popular and highest-paid athletes to support his “voracious appetite” for sports gambling, according to federal prosecutors. It is said that he used the money to make an astonishing number of bets.
by criminal charges Ippei Mizuhara, who was accused in the gambling scandal, placed about 19,000 bets from December 2021 to January 2024, averaging about 25 bets a day. His bets ranged from about $10 per bet to $160,000, with an average bet of about $12,800.
Mizuhara’s Winning stakes totaled over $142,256,000 If you lose, your stake is approximately $182,935,000. Total losses amounted to more than $40.679 million, according to the affidavit.
The charges against the 39-year-old Southern California man are outlined in a lengthy criminal complaint in support of federal bank fraud charges released Thursday. He is accused of stealing $16 million from the baseball star’s account to pay off illegal sports gambling debts.
The complaint, written by a senior IRS special agent, cites wire transfers, text messages, phone records and interviews. According to prosecutors, Mizuhara admitted in a text message to a bookmaker that he stole money from Otani’s account. The investigation into Mizuhara was part of a larger investigation into illegal gambling operations.
The suit alleges that Mizuhara, a longtime friend of the two-time MVP, used his position of trust to fund frequent and illegal sports betting.
“Mr. Mizuhara stole this money primarily to fund his voracious appetite for illegal sports gambling,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
According to prosecutors, the first fraudulent transfer from Ohtani’s account occurred on November 15, 2021, when $40,010 was sent to Xoom.com, which was identified in the complaint as a PayPal service. The debit transaction occurred at the same time as a text message between Mizuhara and the bookmaker discussing the amount, according to court documents.
By May 2023, the amount transferred had increased to $500,000 each, according to authorities. At one point, he was making nearly 25 bets a day, and his losses amounted to nearly $41 million.
The complaint includes text messages from November 2023 in which a bookmaker told Mizuhara that he might approach Ohtani.
The message read: “Hi Yippie, it’s 2 o’clock Friday. I don’t know why you haven’t answered my phone. I’m here in Newport Beach and I see (Otani) walking his dog. ” was written. “I’m going to go and talk to him and ask him how I can contact him since he hasn’t answered. Please call me back right away.”
Prosecutors said at a Thursday news conference that there was no evidence that Ohtani authorized the transfers from his account and that the baseball superstar was the victim in the case. Otani is reportedly assisting authorities with their investigation. The New York Times reported that Mizuhara was negotiating a plea deal.
Records do not show any bets on baseball.
league rules 21 Players and team employees say they are prohibited from betting on baseball, even if the bets are legal, and from betting with illegal or offshore bookmakers. There was also mention of potential penalties, which could be left primarily to the league’s front offices.
A US lawyer is providing details about the investigation into Shohei Otani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Macy Jenkins reported on NBC4 News on April 11, 2024.
Timeline of events in sports betting scandal
When Otani opened an account in 2018, Mizuhara accompanied him to a bank branch in Arizona, and Mizuhara served as an interpreter for Otani’s account opening. According to his affidavit, prosecutors say Ohtani’s salary was deposited into the account and that he never gave Mizuhara control of the account or any other financial accounts.
Investigators believe that proceeds from Ohtani’s sponsorship deals and investments were funneled into separate accounts.
Mizuhara then identified himself as Otani in communications with the bank, and the suspension of online banking on his account was lifted.
According to prosecutors, Mizuhara began gambling at illegal sportsbooks in 2021. A few months later, Ohtani began losing “substantial” amounts of money, and around the same time, the contact information on Ohtani’s bank account was changed and linked to Mizuhara’s phone number and anonymous email, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Shohei Otani is considered a victim in the case.
The scandal broke in mid-March after Mizuhara was fired for allegedly stealing from Otani’s bank account to cover illegal gambling losses. These gambling debts were directed to an illegal bookmaker in Orange County that was under investigation by the IRS. According to reports, millions of dollars were transferred from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaker in California.
Mizuhara told ESPN on March 19 that Ohtani had paid off his gambling debts at the request of an interpreter and that his bets were on international soccer, the NBA, NFL and college football. But the next day, ESPN announced that Mr. Mizuhara had significantly changed his story, claiming that Mr. Ohtani knew nothing about the gambling debt and had not sent any money to the bookmaker.
Ohtani and his lawyers have maintained that Ohtani had no knowledge of the “grand theft” until the news came to light during the Dodgers’ season opener in South Korea last month, when the Dodgers played against him. san diego padres.
Major League Baseball has launched its own investigation in parallel with the federal investigation by the IRS.
Ohtani played throughout the investigation.
Mizuhara turned himself in to the police on Friday morning and appeared in his first court hearing. His bond was set at $25,000. Mizuhara was ordered to return his passport and not contact Otani. Travel is restricted to the Central District of California, and a permit is required for international travel. Mizuhara must also begin treatment for gambling addiction.
Attorney Michael Friedman was asked to comment for his initial court appearance along with his client. Friedman said brief comments could be provided later Friday.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak with a counselor. Help is also available from the online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org. Additional resources can be found on the NCPG website.