Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani had to find out that you can’t trust everyone in your corner. His long-time friend and interpreter Ippe Mizuhara stole almost $17 million from Ohtani to pay off his sports gambling debts. On Tuesday, Mizuhara pleaded not guilty to bank and tax fraud. That was part of the formality with federal prosecutors as they try and reach a plea deal.
What are the terms of Ippe Mizuhara’s potential plea deal with federal prosecutors?
On Tuesday, Ippe Mizuhard appeared in federal court and the right to a grand jury indictment. That made his hearing last less than five minutes according to reports. Mizuhara was charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of submitting a false tax return. In total, he could be looking at over 30+ years of prison time.
Last week, the Department of Justice said that they would recommend a shorter sentence if Mizuhara “demonstrates an acceptance of responsibility”. Ultimately, that will be determined by a federal judge. Additionally, it’s widely anticipated that Mizuhara will be deported back to Japan as part of his plea agreement.
How much money did Ippe Mizuhara take from Shohei Ohtani?
Ippe Mizuhara’s winning bets totaled $142 million, which he put into his bank account and not Shohei Ohtani’s. However, his losses totaled $183. A net loss of nearly $41 million. Mizuhara was in too deep and there was no way for him to ever escape without getting caught. He got by for a while but it all came crashing down earlier this year.
Additionally, his plea agreement says he will be required to pay Shohei Ohtani a resolution of nearly $17 million. On top of that, he owes the IRS more than $1 million. On March 21, Mizuahra was fired by the Dodgers and he’s been dealing with legal issues ever since. There is no evidence that Shohei Ohtani had any idea this was happening. The judge set a status conference for June 14th.
