The Internal Revenue Service has opened up a criminal investigation of the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Shohei Ohtani as discrepancies in his past continue to come to light.
Former translator Ippei Mizuhara is under scrutiny after at least $4.5 million of the MLB player’s money was transferred into the translator’s accounts.
According to Deadline, the IRS appears to be investigating Mizuhara’s financial dealings with illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer.
Ippei Mizuhara, the translator for Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels, stands in the dugout during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 22, 2022, in Anaheim, California. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers this month as reports of his gambling habits began to come to light. Mizuhara is accused of betting on sports games other than baseball with Bowyer.
California has still not legalized sports betting, and Mizuhara claimed he was unaware he was breaking the law with his gambling addiction. The interpreter also claimed that the MLB player was helping him pay for the gambling debts. A representative for Ohtani confirmed that the player gave money to pay the debts. However, Mizuhara and the rep then recanted that claim.
Ohtani’s lawyer has called the payoffs to bookies a “massive theft” of the ball player’s money.
Shohei Ohtani poses for a photo with his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (R) and agent Nez Balelo (L) after being introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Aside from the issue of who was paying for the gambling, other discrepancies also appeared in Mizuhara’s claims. In one instance, Mizuhara claimed to be a graduate of UC Riverside, but the school has since said they have no record of his attendance there. In another, Mizuhara claimed to have also been employed as an interpreter for former Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima, but that also appears to be false.
Multiple investigations have now been launched into Mizuhara by MLB, the Dodgers, and several government agencies.
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