Ippei Mizuhara pleads guilty to bank, tax fraud charges

Major League Baseball formally closed its investigation into the gambling allegations surrounding Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani‘s longtime interpreter and close confidant, after Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges Tuesday.

Mizuhara, who worked for Ohtani throughout the two-way superstar’s Angels career and during his first Spring Training with the Dodgers, admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani during a change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Santa Ana, Calif. Mizuhara faces a total maximum sentence of 33 years, and his sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 25.

“I worked for victim A and had access to his bank account and had fallen into major gambling debt,” Mizuhara said in court, according to an Associated Press report. “I went ahead and wired money … with his bank account.”

MLB released the following statement after Mizuhara’s guilty plea:

“Based on the thoroughness of the federal investigation that was made public, the information MLB collected, and the criminal proceeding being resolved without being contested, MLB considers Shohei Ohtani a victim of fraud and this matter has been closed.”

The Dodgers, who signed Ohtani to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million free-agent contract over the winter, also released a statement:

“With today’s plea in the criminal proceedings against Ippei Mizuhara and the conclusion of both federal and MLB investigations, the Dodgers are pleased that Shohei and the team can put this entire matter behind them and move forward in pursuit of a World Series title.”

In March, after Ohtani’s attorneys accused Mizuhara of “massive theft” from Ohtani to pay off bets with an allegedly illegal bookmaker who is under federal investigation, the Dodgers dismissed Mizuhara and MLB’s Department of Investigations launched its investigation into the matter.

When federal authorities filed an affidavit in April that accused Mizuhara of bank fraud, there was no evidence Ohtani had any knowledge of Mizuhara’s gambling activities or use of his bank account to pay the debts. Investigators had combed through years of text messages between Ohtani and Mizuhara and found no discussion of gambling.

“I want to emphasize this point: Mr. Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said during an April news conference.