Ex-Interpreter of Shohei Ohtani Reports to Prison after Guilty Verdict for Embezzling over $16.7 Million Dollars.
"Yankees' Greatness Shines, Dodgers' Interpreter Begins Prison Term"
Aaron Boone, manager of the New York Yankees, extolled Aaron Judge's greatness while the "MLB on FOX" team chatted it up. Meanwhile, former Los Angeles Dodgers' interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, found himself locked up in a federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania, as confirmed by Mizuhara's attorney, Michael Freedman.
Mizuhara has been sentenced to serve 57 months in prison for embezzling a staggering $17 million from Dodgers' star, Shohei Ohtani, to repay his gambling debts.
Here's the lowdown on the controversy surrounding Shohei Ohtani and Johnny Damon's stance on Pete Rose's Hall of Fame induction.
Ohtani and Mizuhara, then a team, was a scene in the spotlight, but not for their sports triumphs. Mizuhara's criminal actions came to light when he sent off millions in wire transfers from Ohtani's account. This led to his termination by the Dodgers in March 2024.
Federal authorities slapped charges on Mizuhara on April 11, 2024, and the next day, he surrendered himself to the law enforcement.
Back to Ohtani and the great debate about Pete Rose's Hall of Fame induction.
Mizuhara confessed to committing bank and tax fraud, admitting to actually placing about 19,000 bets with a bookie over a span of two years, consequently racking up over $40 million in debt.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to his crimes in June 2024. He's now required to pay back $16.9 million to Ohtani and an additional $1.1 million to the IRS as part of his punishment.
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Notably, Ohtani publicly addressed the gambling fiasco in late March, stating he never placed a sports bet and Mizuhara's claim about reimbursing his $4.5 million gambling debt was fabricated.
Mizuhara's original prison reporting date was in March, but a federal judge delayed his entry into the system, reason unspecified.
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Jackson Thompson, a sports writer for Digital, pens down the action, previously contributing to ESPN and Business Insider. He's covered Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has crossed paths with iconic figures like Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz, and Roger Clemens.
In the world of general news, Shohei Ohtani's sports career was overshadowed by the criminal actions of his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. While Mizuhara was arrested and sentenced to prison for embezzling millions from Ohtani to repay gambling debts, Ohtani himself publicly addressed the gambling fiasco, clarifying that he never placed a sports bet.
