The former translator of Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani was charged Thursday with embezzlement of more than $16 million to the player’s detriment, American judicial authorities announced.
Prosecuted for bank fraud
Ippei Mizuhara, a former interpreter and close friend of Ohtani, suspected of siphoning off his bank account to pay off gambling debts, was fired in March by his team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Aged 39, he is being prosecuted for bank fraud, punishable by a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, prosecutors said in a press release.
In September 2021, the defendant began making illegal bets and lost considerable amounts of money within a few months, according to court documents.
The player did not give permission
From November 2021 to January 2024, he took more than $16 million from Shohei Ohtani’s account without authorization, according to the same sources.
There is no evidence the player knew, prosecutors say.
The superstar, who told investigators last week that he had not authorized these transfers, handed over his phone to them. They concluded “the lack of evidence that Ohtani knew of or was involved in Mizuhar’s illegal betting or the repayment of these debts”, according to the press release.
Ohtani, 29, who previously played for the Los Angeles Angels, was recruited at the end of 2023 by the Dodgers with a record contract of 700 million dollars (642 million euros) over ten years. The Japanese, twice elected best player (MVP) of the championship where he has been playing since 2018, shines with throwing and batting, a rare combination.
2024-04-11 19:39:58
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