There's a new twist to the saga regarding Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara, who pleaded guilty to bank fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani's accounts to use in illegal sports gambling, is not the only one facing legal trouble.
Matthew Bowyer, the illegal bookmaker who Mizuhara used to place his bets, will plead guilt next week to bookmaking and money laundering charges, according to court records unsealed by federal prosecutors, as reported by Tisha Thompson of ESPN.
“Mr. Bowyer is looking forward to accepting responsibility for his actions,” Bowyer's attorney Diane Bass said in a statement Thursday to ESPN.
In Bowyer's plea deal, he admitted to receiving more than $4 million in reported income in 2022 and falsely reporting his taxable income at $607,897. Because more than five people were involved in Bowyer's illegal activity, he could face a more severe punishment. Bowyer faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison, but will likely receive less to due pleading guilty.
Using Ohtani's money, Mizuhara illegally placed at least 19,000 bets using Bowyer as his bookie. According to documents obtained by ESPN, Mizuhara is one of 700 bettors who utilized Bowyer's services.
Shohei Ohtani dominating despite his connection to this illegal gambling case
Even though Ohtani has been proven innocent in his connection to his former interpreter's illegal gambling, he still has an undeniable connection to this story. Despite all of the distractions surrounding it, Ohtani is still performing at an MVP level this season. The Japanese star is leading the National League with a .309/.400/.628 line, 32 home runs, and 83 runs scored.
Ohtani's production has been crucial for the Dodgers. Los Angeles has been ravished by injuries to Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, among others, and suddenly find themselves just 4.5 games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the NL West and 5 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
While no one was questioning Ohtani's greatness before, his elite performance at the plate this season is even more impressive given the off-field distractions. Not only did Ohtani have to deal with questions regarding his role in the illegal gambling, but he was also a victim of a crime committed by Mizuhara, one of the people Ohtani was closest to.
With another guilty plea reportedly on the way, it looks like this story is almost finished. For Ohtani's sake, he'll sure be glad to turn the page and continue focusing on baseball instead of any off-the-field issues.
Follow Us
Subscribe