In a significant development, former Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is reportedly in negotiations for a guilty plea in the ongoing investigation into allegations of theft and illegal gambling. According to sources briefed on the matter, the probe is rapidly approaching a conclusion, as reported by the New York Times.
Federal prosecutors have uncovered evidence suggesting that Mizuhara may have stolen more than the initial reported amount of $4.5 million. Investigators believe that Mizuhara altered Shohei Ohtani’s bank account settings to prevent the baseball star from being alerted about any transactions. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal division and the Department of Homeland Security, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The allegations against Mizuhara first came to light last month when the Los Angeles Times published an article detailing his firing amid accusations of illegal gambling. Ohtani’s legal team accused Mizuhara of stealing the athlete’s money to place bets. The situation gained further attention when Ohtani’s name was linked to a federal investigation into an alleged illegal bookie, Matthew Bowyer.
ESPN later published an interview with Mizuhara, in which he initially claimed that he had asked Ohtani to pay off his gambling debts in 2023. However, Mizuhara later retracted his statements, asserting that Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling debts and had not transferred any money to Bowyer’s associate on his behalf. Ohtani, in his first public comments, expressed his shock and sadness over the allegations, vehemently denying any involvement in sports betting.
