Ohtani's Ex-Interpreter to Plead Guilty to Fraud, Faces Up to 33 Years: DOJ

May 8, 2024, 09:03 PM

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return, according to the DOJ. Mizuhara, who was involved in a scheme that illegally transferred nearly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account to cover his gambling debts, faces up to 33 years in prison. The plea agreement includes one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, with a potential sentence of up to three years. Mizuhara is expected to enter his guilty plea on May 14.