LOS ANGELES – (INT) – The wheels of justice are beginning to turn in the case of the translator for Dodger baseball star Shohei Ohtani.

Federal charges filed Thursday (April 11th) allege that Ippei Mizuhara transferred more than $16 million from Ohtani’s bank account – without his knowledge -- to pay off his own gambling debts incurred through an illegal bookmaking operation.

The transfers are alleged to have occurred from November 2021 to last January.

Prosecutors said the transfers allegedly were made from devices and IP addresses associated with Mizuhara, who served as Ohtani’s translator and de facto manager.

Ohtani provided his cellphone to law enforcement, who determined that there was no evidence to suggest that Ohtani was aware of, or involved in, Mizuhara’s illegal gambling activity or payment of those debts.

Story Date: April 19, 2024