Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter impersonated Dodgers star to push through 6-figure wire transfer, audio reveals

A four-minute audio signaling was disclosed by national prosecutors Thursday that shows Shohei Ohtani's erstwhile interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly attempting to propulsion done a six-figure ligament transportation from 1 of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star’s accounts by impersonating him. 

Mizuhara has been convicted of defrauding Ohtani, the National League MVP and satellite shot superstar, and the recording, obtained by The Athletic from the Department of Justice, is simply a cardinal portion of evidence. 

It was mentioned successful a tribunal filing, which besides had prosecutors recommending a astir five-year condemnation for Mizuhara and an bid to repay Ohtani, according to The Athletic. 

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Ippei Mizuhara pleaded blameworthy June 4, 2024, to slope and taxation fraud successful a sports betting lawsuit and admitted stealing astir $17 cardinal from Shohei Ohtani. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

Mizuhara, who is scheduled to beryllium sentenced Feb. 6, pleaded guilty to slope fraud and filing a mendacious taxation instrumentality aft stealing astir $17 cardinal from Ohtani, who helium was champion friends with for years, successful June 2024. 

The signaling was obtained from a bank, adjunct U.S. lawyer Jeff Mitchell told The Athletic, and it supports prosecutors’ claims that Mizuhara would telephone banks to put ligament transfers. 

Prosecutors added that the signaling was edited to redact slope names and the sanction of an "unindicated co-conspirator."

FORMER SHOHEI OHTANI INTERPRETER PLEADS GUILTY TO CHARGES IN SPORTS BETTING CASE

In the recording, Mizuhara intelligibly states his sanction is Ohtani aft the slope cause asks, "Who americium I speaking with?" Mizuhara bypassed the bank’s information measures and changed Ohtani’s relationship accusation to see his ain email and telephone number.

So, erstwhile the slope cause asks Mizuhara to execute a two-factor authentication utilizing a six-digit codification sent to a telephone number, helium tin bash truthful due to the fact that it’s going to his telephone alternatively of Ohtani’s. 

The signaling shows Mizuhara matching the numbers, which allows the cause to enactment connected his request, a car indebtedness for $200,000.

"Now recently, we’ve travel crossed a inclination of fraud and scams, truthful we person been monitoring the online transactions intimately to marque definite our clients are not the unfortunate of either," the cause says first. "What is the crushed for this transaction?"

Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a property league astatine Dodger Stadium Dec. 14, 2023, successful Los Angeles.  (Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Then, the cause asks "Ohtani" what his narration to the payee is, to which Mizuhara says, "He’s my friend."

"Have you met your person successful person"" the cause responds. 

"Yes, galore times," Mizuhara answered. 

Mizuhara said helium stole from Ohtani to screen "major gambling debt," which helium said successful a little connection aft pleading guilty. 

"I went up and wired wealth … with his slope account," Mizuhara said successful the connection astatine the time. 

Prosecutors asked that the restitution magnitude stake acceptable astatine astir $17 cardinal for Ohtani, though it was noted Mizuhara is incapable to wage that backmost to the All-Star. Another $1.1 cardinal successful restitution is being sought by the IRS.

Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara attends a property league astatine Dodgers Stadium successful Los Angeles Dec. 14, 2023. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

The ex-interpreter’s winning bets totaled implicit $142 million, which helium deposited into his ain slope relationship and not Ohtani’s. His losing bets were astir $183 million. He did not stake connected baseball.

There is besides nary denotation Ohtani stake connected baseball. 

The Athletic reported the tribunal filing says that, betwixt December 2021 and January 2024, Mizuhara placed astir 19,000 bets online done Matthew Bowyer, his bookie who besides pleaded blameworthy to moving an amerciable gambling concern successful August 2024.

Mizuhara’s indebtedness was up to $40.7 million. 

"His years-long theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani and the myriad lies helium told to Mr. Ohtani’s agents and fiscal advisors to screen up his theft correspond a calculated betrayal of the precise idiosyncratic helium was hired to help," Mitchell wrote successful the tribunal filing. 

Ippei Mizuhara, the erstwhile interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers prima Shohei Ohtani, arrives astatine national tribunal successful Los Angeles June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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"To summarize however I’m feeling close now, I’m conscionable beyond shocked," Ohtani said successful a connection connected the substance past year. "It’s truly hard to verbalize however I’m feeling astatine this point.

"I’m precise saddened and shocked that idiosyncratic who I trusted has done this."

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