Ippei Mizuhara. Source: Sportico

Former Interpreter of Baseball Star Ohtani Accused of Making 19,000 Illegal Bets

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of renowned Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani, has reportedly amassed debts exceeding $40 million due to his involvement in illegal gambling activities. Federal authorities have revealed that Mizuhara placed a staggering 19,000 illegal bets, as reported by the Daily Breeze.

Operating under the alias “35966,” Mizuhara allegedly placed an average of 25 bets per day, ranging from $10,000 to $160,000 each. Correspondence with his bookmaker suggested Mizuhara's lack of success in gambling, with him admitting to being consistently unsuccessful. A federal prosecutor described Mizuhara's gambling addiction as "insatiable."

In a related case, former translator Shohei Ohtani faces accusations of embezzling over $16 million from the baseball player's bank account. It's alleged that Mizuhara resorted to stealing funds from Ohtani to cover his losses and settle his mounting debts resulting from unsuccessful bets.

According to court documents, Mizuhara facilitated the setup of Ohtani's payroll account in Arizona in 2018, subsequently linking it to his own cellphone. He then allegedly communicated with illegal bookmaker Matthew Boyer in the US. Both Mizuhara and Boyer had their phones confiscated by federal investigators as part of the ongoing investigation.

12 April 2024, 12:03

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