Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter stole $16 million to cover gambling debts, feds say

Federal prosecutors charged Ippei Mizuhara, longtime interpreter and close friend of Shohei Ohtani, with bank fraud Thursday, saying that he stole more than $16 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers to pay off gambling debts.

The indictment appeared to vindicate Ohtani in the scandal that has dominated sports headlines since the beginning of the baseball season, when the Los Angeles Times and ESPN broke the news that Ohtani’s name was on millions of dollars in wire transfers to a suspected illegal bookie, Matthew Bowyer.

In a press conference to announce the charges, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said that a thorough investigation had left no doubt that Ohtani was a victim of his interpreter, who used his position of trust “to plunder Mr. Ohtani’s bank account.” Estrada added that there was no evidence that Mizuhara gambled on baseball.

“I want to emphasize this point,” Estrada said. “Mr. Ohtani was a victim in this case.”