Ippei Mizuhara, a bookmakers for Shohei Ohtani’s former speaker, agreed to plead guilty to charges of operating an illegal gaming industry, cash fraud, and filing a false tax return, according to previously released court documents from a California federal court.
A maximum prison sentence of 18 years is imposed on all of the costs, but Bowyer’s appeal deal may make it much less severe as long as he adheres to its words. The plea deal requires Bowyer accurately disclose all pertinent information ( including data related to his to clients and customers ), support in investigations led by the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service and various firms, and, if necessary, testify against another.

California is one of the few states where sports betting is still prohibited, in piece because Bowyer, a citizen of Orange County, sinned against the law. Bowyer’s prosecution notes he made a wire transfer of$ 521, 000 to a casino in Las Vegas in 2023, which prosecutors said was to further an unlawful activity. According to the plea deal, Bowyer claims to be making payments “in game cards” and “in envelopes or bags” to advance his company.
Bowyer even falsely reported to the IRS that he owed$ 607,897 in taxable income for the year 2022. Bowyer claimed in the plea agreement that the actual sum was “at least$ 4, 587, 954” and that he “knew his taxable earnings for the year 2022 was significantly higher than that number.”
The plea deal goes into great detail about Bowyer’s relationship with” I. M.” Mizuhara, who is described as” a professional baseball player’s translator and de facto manager,” with Ohtani as the subject of the agreement.
Between September 2021 and January 2024, Mizuhara placed “at least 19, 000 bet” with Bowyer through miscellaneous websites. Mizuhara won$ 142.3 million, an impressive figure until the plea deal also notes Mizuhara lost$ 182.9 million during that time, with a net loss of$ 40.7 million. Despite Mizuhara owing an incredible amount of money—especially for someone on a translator’s salary—Bowyer had often “bump” or improve Mizuhara’s betting limits.
Mizuhara, 39, made numerous payments to Bowyer, who directed at least$ 9.3 million of Mizuhara’s funds be moved to an unnamed casino for markers for Bowyer and his associates. Bowyer lost$ 4.2 million of that amount at the casino.
Mizuhara admitted to stealing almost$ 17 million from Ohtani last month and admitted to having been a victim of bank and tax fraud. He’ll be sentenced on Oct. 25 and could face up to 33 years in prison.
According to federal prosecutors, Ohtani was a victim of Mizuhara, who exploited Ohtani’s wealth and limited English to perpetuate a massive fraud. U. S. Attorney Martin Estrada has stated Mizuhara used “his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani” to “fuel” Mizuhara’s gambling habit.

Despite the off-field betting controversy, Ohtani, 30, is having another excellent season. In terms of home runs ( 32 ) and slugging percentage ( .628 ), Aaron Judge, the designated hitter, and Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees ‘ outfielder, were second in MLB at the time of the 31-day decision. The Dodgers of Ohtani also hold the title in the West of the National League.