In an edge-of-the-seat development reminiscent of a high-stakes thriller, baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani has been thrust into the unfortunate spotlight as a victim of a massive fraud perpetrated by his own interpreter. According to a recent affidavit, it has come to light that Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s trusted aide, not only managed his day-to-day affairs but also, shockingly, siphoned off a staggering $16 million from the athlete’s earnings.
This revelation was triggered by a text message from Mizuhara to a bookie that read, “Technically I did steal from him. It’s all over for me,” on the very day the incident first hit the headlines. The plot thickens as reports from the New York Times suggest that Mizuhara is currently in negotiations for a plea deal.
In the unfolding legal drama, Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese two-way baseball sensation who recently signed the most lucrative deal in baseball history, has stood firm in his assertion that he was swindled. The filing on Thursday lends substantial weight to Ohtani’s claim. The U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press conference, “Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case.” Responding to the circumstances, Major League Baseball issued a statement asserting its decision to postpone any further investigation until the conclusion of the criminal proceeding at hand.
The anticipated court appearance of Mizuhara on Friday (12 April) is the next step in this dramatic series of events, and it is worth noting that his lawyer refrained from issuing any comments on that Thursday, according to ESPN.
What is equally troubling is that Mizuhara’s illicit betting sprees are entwined with a hefty illegal bookmaking operation linked to ex-minor league player Wayne Nix—although Nix hasn’t been named in the affidavit. Neither has Mathew Bowyer, the Orange County-based bookie presumed to have accepted Mizuhara’s hefty bets. Despite this, the affidavit presents clear hints pointing towards Bowyer’s involvement.
The federal investigation, which has already brought about “criminal charges and/or convictions of 12 criminal defendants and one money-service business,” shows no signs of slowing down, according to the detailed missives of the investigator, Seymour.
The affidavit painstakingly details how Mizuhara craftily changed Ohtani’s banking information and even posed as Ohtani to deny financial advisers access to his accounts. There’s evidence pointing to the genesis of this intricate deception back in 2018 when Mizuhara established the bank account that would receive Ohtani’s Los Angeles Angels paychecks. Mizuhara systematically funded his gambling habits and covered his debts with Ohtani’s finances, while slyly channeling his winnings into his own account.
Mizuhara’s foray into gambling began around September 2021, and he soon found himself in over his head, accruing considerable debt. It’s important to note that he didn’t bet on baseball but rather a variety of other sports. As early as November of the same year, messages from Mizuhara’s phone unified in the affidavit depict a desperate man unable to fulfill his payment obligations, grappling with the “super stressing” burden of debt.
Despite his financial turmoil, the bookmaker seemed to continue extending Mizuhara credit along with “free-play” options. At one point, the betting limit was dropped to Mizuhara’s request to $100,000 to avoid “reckless” tendencies when dealing with a much higher credit line of $300,000.
By November 2023, things looked bleak for Mizuhara as text records show a man aware of the dire consequences of his actions. He reached out to the bookmaker, suffocated by losses made on cryptocurrency and sports betting, hoping for a settlement. His betting habits were egregious, with an average of $12,800 placed per bet, indicating a total of approximately 19,000 bets—adding up to an average of 25 bets daily. The staggering amounts involved in his betting activities culminated in $142.3 million of winnings against $182.9 million of losses, tumbling Mizuhara into a $40.7 million chasm of debt.
The escalation of events has cast a dark shadow over Ohtani’s prominent career. As the baseball world watches closely, the legal gears turn in anticipation of justice being served, and the MLB abiding in readiness to address this unsettling crossover of sports and crime.
