Sports Betting News Baseball Ohtani Interpreter Charged with Stealing More Than $16 Million from Baseball Superstar
US officials charged long-time Ohtani interpreter Ippei Mizuhara with stealing over $16 million from the Dodgers superstar. California’s lead prosecutor accused Mizuhara of impersonating Shohei Ohtani to banks and wagered on sports.
In a shocking turn of events, the 39-year-old Mizuhara was dismissed last month after news of the alleged theft broke. According to sportsbook pay per head experts, the prosecuting attorneys have revealed a brazen scheme where the interpreter wagered Ohtani's funds and then siphoned off his winnings into a personal account. It is claimed that he managed to transfer over $16 million from Ohtani's account without any authorization between 2021 and 2024.
Ohtani is a Japanese sports star, and the accusation paper states that Mizuhara, who was effectively Ohtani's manager, took advantage of his lack of English proficiency.
According to baseball betting tutorials and news sites, Mizuhara posed as Ohtani over the phone to deceive bank staff into wiring money to people involved in illicit gaming. Mizuhara reportedly spent Ohtani's money—$325,000 worth—on baseball cards between January and March 2024.
The lawyer defending Mizuhara chose not to address the accusations on Thursday. In addition, during an interview with prosecutors last week, Ohtani denied giving the interpreter access to his money.
According to sports betting news reports, the severity of the crime is not to be underestimated. Mizuhara could face a federal jail term of up to 30 years for bank fraud. Reports of his alleged plea negotiations with prosecutors have been featured in the New York Times. While sports betting is legal in 38 US states, the Golden State remains steadfast in its prohibition. Any player, umpire, Club or League official, or employee is specifically forbidden under MLB regulation from engaging in sports betting or using illicit bookies.
US Attorney Martin Estrada told reporters on Thursday that there is no proof that Mizuhara placed any wagers on baseball games. Before this season, Ohtani became the face of the Dodgers sports club after signing a record 10-year, $700 million contract. The American League MVP award was unanimously bestowed upon him for the second time.
Do you want to open a baseball sportsbook? We recommend using a pay per head solution for your new venture.
Start Your Own Sportsbook with PricePerPlayer.com Today!
 | |
