Audio recording shows Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, impersonating Dodgers star during $200K wire transfer attempt

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Audio recording shows Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, impersonating Dodgers star during $200K wire transfer attempt

Ippei Mizuhara admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Shohei Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

A nearly

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of Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, was disclosed this week by federal prosecutors and shows Mizuhara impersonating the Los Angeles Dodgers star in order to wire $200,000 from Ohtani’s bank account.

According to the

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, Mizuhara called the bank 24 times and identified himself as Ohtani to an employee.

Mizuhara told the employee he needed to send $200,000 for a car loan. When asked his relationship to the payee, he told the agent, “He’s my friend.”

“Have you met your friend in person?” the agent asked.

“Yes, many times,” Mizuhara said.

When asked later if he planned to conduct future wires to his friend, Mizuhara responded, “Possibly.”

In the spring, Mizuhara admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts. Prosecutors asked for restitution of that amount to Ohtani and an additional $1.1 million to the IRS.

In June, Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges in a California federal court. Federal prosecutors have recommended a 57-month prison sentence, while Mizuhara’s attorney asked for an 18-month sentence in a separate court filing citing Mizuhara’s gambling addiction in which he claims to owe a debt of $40.7 million. The lawyer said his client is attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings three times per week.

Mizuhara is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6.

Per

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, he made 19,000 sports bets with an ******** bookie from December 2021 through January 2024, with bets ranging from $10 to $160,000 and an average wager of $12,800. Mizuhara placed roughly 25 bets per day.

Records show that he won roughly $142.3 million in sports wagers and lost more than $182.9 million, adding up to a net loss of roughly $40.7 million.

News of the scandal

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as Ohtani prepared to play his first season with the Dodgers.

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