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Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, learned his fate on Thursday. He will be serving a prison sentence of 57 months for bank fraud and filing a false tax return. He will also have to serve three years of supervised release and be required to pay nearly $17 in restitution to Ohtani.
The 40-year-old Mizuhara, who had reportedly been working as an Uber Eats driver, had faced a maximum sentence of 33 years in prison for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. He had previously pleaded guilty to changing the settings to Shohei Ohtani’s bank account and wiring money from it to pay his gambling debts.
According to prosecutors, Ippei Mizuhara called the bank and impersonated Ohtani on approximately 24 occasions in order to wire money from the MLB star’s account. In one recording, a bank employee asked Mizuhara to identify himself and he said he was Ohtani. He also provided the bank agent Ohtani’s personal information, information he had gathered while working closely with the three-time MVP.
Ippei Mizuhara entering court today before his sentencing. pic.twitter.com/2JmHtYOck1
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 6, 2025
Shohei Ohtani claimed that he had no knowledge of Mizuhara stealing the millions of dollars from his bank account. Major League Baseball believed him and issued no punishment to him after a ruling by the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada, in which he stated, “Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case.”
Sportico reports that Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael G. Freedman, had hoped that his client would receive just a 18-month prison sentence. He cited the fact that Mizuhara tried to limit the public relations fallout for Ohtani, suffered from depression, and likely will face deportation to Japan after his release from prison.
Federal prosecutors, on the other hand, noted that Mizuhara repeatedly stole from Ohtani over several years, illegally used Ohtani’s credit card for non-gambling purchases, and didn’t repay Ohtani the money he took from his bank account when he did win a wager.
Reactions to Ippei Mizuhara receiving a 57-month prison sentence were mostly people who believe he took the fall for Shohei Ohtani. There are literally dozens and dozens of similarly-themed comments alluding to it on social media.
“Lmao homie held it down for Ohtani. Respect,” one fan joked, while another wrote, “That’s what you call a real friend right there.”
“That bag he’s going to get when gets out must be tremendous!!!” read another comment. “Ohtani better have some keeping his commissary maxed out!!!”
“Deferred payments for him are secured,” someone else commented, while another said, “57 months in prison is the payment. He jumped on a grenade.”
And on and on, and on, it goes.