Ippei Mizuhara Charged with Bank Fraud: $16 Million Theft from Shohei Ohtani’s Account
Ippei Mizuhara, the former translator for MLB star Shohei Ohtani, has been charged with bank fraud after allegedly transferring over $16 million from Ohtani's bank account to cover gambling debts. The United States Attorney for the Central District of California reported that Mizuhara executed unauthorized wire transfers from November 2021 to January 2024, manipulating bank records and impersonating Ohtani to carry out the scheme. Following the fraud's exposure, Mizuhara was dismissed by the Dodgers and now faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted. Investigations confirmed that Ohtani was not involved in the fraudulent activities and was a victim of the scheme.