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Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, was released from federal custody on Friday on $25,000 bond and “numerous other conditions,” according to The Athletic’s Sam Blum.
Mizuhara can’t leave the central district of California without permission, can’t contact Ohtani and also has to participate in a gambler’s addiction program, per Blum.
Mizuhara, who did not enter a plea, will be arraigned on May 9, according to Blum.
ESPN’s Alden González first reported Friday that Mizuhara was in federal custody after surrendering to law enforcement:
Alden González @Alden_Gonzalez
Ippei Mizuhara surrendered to law enforcement this morning and is in federal custody. He is scheduled to appear in L.A. court at 1 p.m. PT. The expectation, according to what I was told yesterday, is that he will be let out on bond at that point.
Mizuhara is being charged with bank fraud after allegedly stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani.
If convicted of bank fraud, Mizuhara could receive a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, per Gorman and Julia Harte for Reuters.
Mizuhara could also face additional charges including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, per Sportico’s Michael McCann.
The news comes the day after the Department of Justice announced federal charges against Mizuhara following the filing of a federal affidavit detailing the criminal complaint.
According to the affidavit, which was signed by IRS special agent Chris Seymour, $16 million from an account of Ohtani’s that Mizuhara had helped set up was allegedly transferred to an “illegal sports book” between November 2021 and January 2024.
Mizuhara allegedly placed 19,000 bets during that time period, according to the affidavit. He is accused of impersonating Ohtani in order to approve transfers to fund some of the bets.
Ohtani told law enforcement he did not authorize these transfers, the affidavit says.
During a press conference regarding the charges, officials described Ohtani as a “victim” who had “cooperated fully” with the investigation, per Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times.
Ohtani has known Mizuhara since 2013. Mizuhara worked as Ohtani’s interpreter from his signing with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 until he was fired by the Dodgers in March.
Ohtani, 29, signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers in December. The two-way star is currently making $2 million per season and will defer $680 million of the total until the end of the contract.
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