(Santa Ana) Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty Tuesday to tax and bank fraud charges and admitted stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese player linked to a history of sports betting.
Ippei Mizuhara’s crimes shook Major League Baseball, tarnishing his image as a faithful and devoted companion of Ohtani who followed him to the four corners of North America. He admitted his guilt Tuesday in federal court in Santa Ana, California.
Mizuhara’s personal and professional relationship with Ohtani allowed him to benefit from the famous baseball player. Prosecutors contend he skimmed millions of dollars from Ohtani’s bank account for years, sometimes speaking on her behalf to bankers, to pay off debts stemming from sports betting.
Mizuhara signed a plea agreement detailing the allegations on May 5, and federal prosecutors announced it days later.
Major League rules prohibit players and team employees from betting on baseball, even though it is legal to do so. Major League Baseball also prohibits sports betting in other sports, with illegal or foreign betting sites.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. The bank fraud charge could carry a possible 30-year sentence in federal prison, and the filing a false tax return charge could carry a possible three-year sentence in federal prison.
Sentencing will take place on October 25.
He will also have to repay nearly $17 million to Ohtani and pay more than $1 million to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Those amounts, however, could be revised before the Oct. 25 hearing.
Mizuhara’s lawyers had been negotiating with prosecutors even before he appeared in federal court in Los Angeles in mid-May. He was initially accused of bank fraud.
U.S. authorities said they have no evidence of Ohtani’s involvement in sports betting, and they stressed that he cooperated with investigators.
