On Thursday, federal prosecutors released a four-minute video showing that Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly tried to force a six-figure wire transfer from the Los Angeles Dodgers star's account while impersonating him. The audio recording was released.
Mizuhara was found guilty of defrauding Ohtani, the National League MVP and world baseball superstar, and the recordings obtained by The Athletic from the Justice Department are key evidence.
According to The Athletic, the matter was mentioned in court filings, and prosecutors also recommended that Mizuhara be sentenced to nearly five years in prison and ordered to repay Ohtani.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty on June 4, 2024 to bank fraud and tax fraud in a sports gambling case, admitting that he stole nearly $17 million from Shohei Otani. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)
Mizuhara, who is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to bank fraud and filing false tax returns after stealing about $17 million from his longtime best friend Ohtani. Ta.
The recording was obtained from the bank and, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Mitchell told The Athletic, supports prosecutors' contention that Mizuhara called the bank and arranged the wire transfer.
Prosecutors added that the recording was edited to redact the bank's name and the name of an “unindicated co-conspirator.”
Former interpreter Shohei Otani pleads guilty in sports betting case
In the recording, Mizuhara clarified that his name was Otani after the bank employee asked, “Who are you talking to?” Mizuhara circumvented the bank's security measures and changed Otani's account information to include his own email address and phone number.
So when the bank agent asks Mizuhara to perform two-factor authentication using a six-digit code sent to his phone number, it goes to his phone instead of Otani's, so Mizuhara Authentication can be performed.
The recording shows Mizuhara matching the numbers and the agent being able to work on his request for a $200,000 car loan.
“Recently, we have come across a trend of scams and scams, so we are closely monitoring online transactions to ensure that our clients are not falling victim to either,” the agent says at the outset. “What is the reason for this deal?”
Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara of the Los Angeles Dodgers hold a press conference at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on December 14, 2023. (Rob Reiter/MLB Photo via Getty Images)
The agent then asked Otani about his relationship with the recipient, to which Mizuhara replied, “He's my friend.''
“Have you ever met your friends in person?” the agent replies.
“Yes, many times,” Mizuhara answered.
In a brief statement after pleading guilty, Mizuhara said he stole from Ohtani to cover “heavy gambling debts.”
“I sent the money to his bank account,” Mizuhara said in a statement at the time.
Prosecutors had asked for the restitution stakes against Ohtani to be set at nearly $17 million, but it was noted that Mizuhara would be unable to repay that to the All-Star. The IRS is seeking an additional $1.1 million in damages.
Japanese interpreter Ippei Mizuhara attends a press conference at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on December 14, 2023. (Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
The former interpreter's winning stakes totaled more than $142 million, which he deposited into his own bank account rather than Ohtani's. His losing bets were approximately $183 million. He didn't bet on baseball.
There is also no indication that Ohtani bet on baseball.
According to a report in The Athletic, court filings state that Mizuhara placed approximately 19,000 bets online through Matthew Bowyer between December 2021 and January 2024. are. Mr. Bowyer pleaded guilty in August 2024 to operating an illegal gambling operation.
Mizuhara's debts reached up to $40.7 million.
“The theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani over many years and the countless lies he told Mr. Ohtani’s agents and financial advisors to cover up that theft are a calculated attempt against the very people he was hired to help. “It represents a betrayal by the government,” Mitchell wrote in the article. Submission to court.
Ippei Mizuhara, former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, arrives at a federal courthouse in Los Angeles on June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Damien Dovarganes)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“To sum up how I feel right now, I am beyond shocked,” Ohtani said in a statement on the matter last year. “It's really difficult to explain in words how I'm feeling at the moment.
“I am deeply saddened and shocked that someone I trusted would do something like this.”
Follow Fox News Digital X sports broadcastplease subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
