Ever so rarely does the truth seem stranger than fiction. Baseball fans were left shell-shocked when the news broke that Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was accused of stealing. This is not just any amount, but a whopping $16 million from the two-way phenom. But really, how could the trusted right-hand man pull off such a heist without the baseball star noticing?

Not only that, a new criminal complaint went on to shed light on this unbelievable story. The investigation unearthed a web of deceit and a tale of shocking betrayal. The details have painted a picture of Mizuhara where he is seen completely exploiting his access. More so, with his trusted friend Ohtani. All this is to feed a gambling addiction, maintaining an image of loyalty all the while. 

Ippei Mizuhara’s Journey – Interpreter to Imposter

The complaint goes deeper into Mizuhara’s scheme. He has accompanied Ohtani since his arrival in the US in 2018. And naturally, Mizuhara was privy to details like Ohtani’s bank account used for baseball salary deposits. 

This dates back to around late 2021, which coincided with the start of his gambling problem when Mizuhara allegedly amended the contact information for this account to his own. Soon after that, he stonewalled Ohtani’s financial advisors making a claim that the baseball chose privacy over anything else. This ruse enabled him to function under the radar.

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But, the plot thickened as accusations that Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani over the phone with the bank. There have been recordings that reportedly captured him sharing Ohtani’s personal information to verify large transfers to his bookmakers. Feeling aghast at this act? Well,  Mizuhara reportedly also used aliases to purchase over $300,000 worth of baseball cards online. These included some of Ohtani himself, with Ohtani’s own wealth!

Is Justice Served for Shohei Ohtani? 

The complaint did underscore that Ohtani is a victim in this case. No evidence has been found that he actually authorized the transfers or approved of any gambling activity. Rather, the investigation unearthed that the two-way-phenom was not even aware of this until the scandal erupted. So Ohtani is innocent after all. 

The talks are that Mizuhara would face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. The Los Angeles Dodgers fired him earlier this year, and Major League Baseball intervened with their version of the investigation as well. If this incident doesn’t underscore the dangers of misplaced trust, then what does? This further highlights the extent to which some may go to keep their sneaky actions concealed, even from those whom they’re closest to. 

MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani’s Former Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara Set to Plead Guilty? Latest Update Emerges