New Incriminating Evidence of Shohei Ohtani's Ex-Interpreter Impersonating Dodgers Star Released

Dec 14, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA;  Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani stands with his agent Nez Balelo (left) and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara at an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani stands with his agent Nez Balelo (left) and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara at an introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani had one of the best seasons in baseball, but his first year with the organization began with a scandal.

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Ohtani's then-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of stealing more than $16 million from the man he worked for. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.

New evidence from The Athletic shows Mizuhara impersonating the Dodgers star on a phone call with the bank.

The Athletic released audio which can be listened to here.

“Who am I speaking with?” a bank agent asks in the clip.

“Shohei Ohtani,” Mizuhara answers.

The recording of Mizuhara confirms that he repeatedly called to the bank to arrange wire transfers. He bypassed security measures by changing Ohtani's online account information to his own phone number and email, according to The Athletic.

“Even if defendant is addicted to gambling, it cannot fully explain defendant’s conduct because defendant used the stolen funds for numerous personal expenses that had nothing to do with gambling,” assistant U.S. attorney Jeff Mitchell wrote in a court filing Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. “Ultimately, the government submits, the motivating factor behind defendant’s crimes was not a gambling addiction but rather greed.”

“His years-long theft of funds from Mr. Ohtani and the myriad lies he told to Mr. Ohtani’s agents and financial advisors to cover up his theft represent a calculated betrayal of the very person he was hired to help,” Mitchell wrote.

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