Ippei Mizuhara, Bank Fraud, California 2024

A Japanese-language interpreter from California was sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for illegally transferring nearly $17 million from the bank account of MLB star Shohei Ohtani.

Ippei Mizuhara, 40, of Newport Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb to 57 months in federal prison for one count of bank fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.

Mizuhara was ordered to pay $16,975,010 in restitution to Ohtani and $1,149,400 in restitution to the IRS. He pleaded guilty in June 2024 and was free on $25,000 bond until he surrenders to federal authorities by March 24.

According to the indictment, Mizuhara began placing sports bets with an illegal bookmaker in September 2021 and quickly became indebted. He then orchestrated a scheme to deceive and cheat the bank to fraudulently obtain money from the account.

Mizuhara used Ohtani's password to sign into the bank account and changed the security protocols without Ohtani's knowledge or permission. He impersonated Ohtani and used his personal identifying information to deceive bank employees.

The El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations, partnered with the IRS to bring closure to Ohtani and justice to Mizuhara.

Ippei Mizuhara, a former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for bank fraud and tax evasion.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-interpreter-sentenced-nearly-5-years-prison-illegally-transferring-nearly-17