Ippei Mizuhara, a former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, was sentenced to five years in prison for bank fraud and filing a false tax return. Prosecutors sought a 57-month sentence and nearly $17 million in restitution, which the court granted. Mizuhara had been Ohtani's interpreter and close confidant for over a decade but was fired after accusations of theft emerged. He initially claimed Ohtani lent him money for gambling debts, but further investigation revealed he was involved in illegal betting and misappropriated Ohtani's funds to cover substantial debts.
"Mizuhara had worked alongside Ohtani for more than a decade... serving as his interpreter, personal assistant, home run derby catcher, and close friend."
"Prosecutors had requested a 57-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution of nearly $17 million to Ohtani."
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