The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, who was scheduled to begin his nearly five-year prison sentence on Monday, has had his surrender date postponed, according to federal prosecutors.
The reasons for the change and Mizuhara’s new surrender date are not being disclosed, as stated by Justice Department spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy.
Last month, Mizuhara was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months in prison for bank and tax fraud, after stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account. He was originally required to surrender to authorities by Monday.
Mizuhara has pleaded guilty to the charges of bank and tax fraud and offered apologies to Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the government, and his family in court.
His lawyer has not yet responded to requests for comment.
As Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Mizuhara’s role was to facilitate communication between the Japanese baseball star and his English-speaking teammates and fans.
However, behind the scenes, authorities revealed that Mizuhara began accessing Ohtani’s bank account in 2021. He allegedly altered the account’s security settings, enabling him to impersonate Ohtani and authorize wire transfers.
Mizuhara admitted to using the stolen funds to cover his increasing gambling losses and debts with an illegal bookmaker, as well as for purchasing $325,000 worth of baseball cards and paying his own dental bills.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mizuhara was ordered to pay $18 million in restitution, nearly $17 million of which will go to Ohtani, with the remainder to the IRS. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Throughout Ohtani’s career, Mizuhara was a constant presence, supporting the athlete during major milestones, such as serving as his catcher during the 2021 Home Run Derby, witnessing his two American League MVP wins, and being there for his record-breaking $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Off the field, Mizuhara was not only Ohtani’s interpreter but also his close friend and confidant. He made headlines in 2021 when he resigned from the Los Angeles Angels during the MLB lockout to continue his communication with Ohtani, later being rehired after a deal was reached.
This case has sparked a global media frenzy and is part of a larger investigation into illegal sports bookmaking operations in Southern California and the laundering of proceeds through casinos in Las Vegas.
