The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal complaint against Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s translator Ippei Mizuhara on Thursday and it was packed with a number of startling revelations.
Mizuhara stole over $16 million from Ohtani between November 2021 and January 2024, the complaint, written by IRS Criminal Investigator Chris Seymour, alleges. ESPN originally reported that he allegedly stole at least $4.5 million.
Mizuhara placed approximately 19,000 bets with an illegal bookmaker in California between December 2021 and January 2024 for an average of 25,000, the complaint alleges. His alleged bets ranged from $10 to $160,000 with an average of $12,800, according to the complaint.
“Between February 2022 and October 2023, the x5848 Account wired at least $15,000,000 to the x1911 Account. Certain of these wires coincided with communications between MIZUHARA and BOOKMAKER 1 where MIZUHARA stated that he (MIZUHARA) had recently wire transferred funds to the x1911 Account,” the complaint reads. The x5848 account the complain references is Ohtani’s personal account into which the Angels deposited his MLB paychecks, the complaint states. The x1911 account was associated with Mizuhara’s bookmaker.
Mizuhara allegedly misidentified himself to Ohtani’s bank as Ohtani in order to complete wire transfers from Ohtani’s account to pay off his debts. (RELATED: Ohtani Bangs First Home Run On New Team … His Now-Fired Translator Might Be Very Happy)
“MIZUHARA falsely identified himself as Victim A, and falsely stated that he was attempting to wire funds to BOOKMAKER 2 for a car loan,” the complaint alleges.
Ohtani told investigators he never authorized any of the transfers and denied ever giving Mizuhara access to the bank accounts, according to the complaint.
The complaint also lays out increasingly erratic exchanges between Mizuhara and the bookmakers as he falls further and further into a $40 million deficit with the book.
“Despite owing BOOKMAKER over one million dollars in losses, BOOKMAKER 1 continually increased MIZUHARA’s betting limits,” the complaint wrote.
“I’m terrible at this sport betting thing huh? Lol . . . Any chance u can bump me again?? As you know, you don’t have to worry about me not paying!!” Mizuhara allegedly texted his bookie on Nov. 14, 2022, according to the complaint.
About a month later, on Dec. 9, 2022, he allegedly wrote “Can u bump me last 200? I swear on my mom this will be the last ask before I pay it off once I get back to 12 the states. Sorry for keep on asking,” according to the complaint.
Then, in May of 2022, the bookmaker appeared to express concerns.
“I know you’ve been on a bad run. I don’t mind bumping u, I just want to verify that you can send at least 2M on June 1,” the bookie wrote, according to the complaint.
“I got my ass kicked again lol,” Mizuhara allegedly wrote in June 2022, according to the complaint. “Any chance I can get one last bump? This will be my last one for a while if I lose it.”
“I’m the worst lol . . . can’t catch a break. . . . Can I get one last bump? I swear this is gonna be my last until I get the balance down significantly . . . . I promise this will be the last bump for a while,” he allegedly wrote the next day.
But then, a day later, he allegedly asked again.
“Can I get one last last last bump? This one is for real. . . . Last one for real.”
“To be honest with you Ippie, as long as you can guarantee the 500 every Monday I’ll give you as much as you want because I know you’re good for it. Again I just have to clean it up with my partner and that’s one reason why I was asking before,” the bookie wrote back.
Ippei may have begun to allegedly dodge the bookmakers, as they sent a stunning text to him in November 2023 where he appeared to threaten to out Mizuhara to Ohtani.
“Hey Ippie, it’s 2 o’clock on Friday. I don’t know why you’re not returning my calls. I’m here in Newport Beach and I see [Victim A] walking his dog. I’m just gonna go up and talk to him and ask how I can get in touch with you since you’re not responding? Please call me back immediately.”
“I’m gonna be honest, I ended up losing a lot of money on crypto the last couple years and I took a huge hit obviously with the sports too,” Mizuhara allegedly responded. “Just wanted to ask, is there any way we can settle on an amount? I’ve lost way too much on the site already . . . of course I know it’s my fault.”
“You’re putting me in a position where this is going to get out of control. If I don’t hear from you by the end of the day today it’s gonna be out of my hands,” the bookmaker messaged Mizuhara on Jan. 6, 2024, according to the complaint.
One important detail the complaint alleges is that through all of the transaction records they did not see Mizuhara bet on baseball.
“Based on the foregoing, there is probable cause to believe that Mizuhara has committed bank fraud,” the complaint concludes.