Ippei Mizuhara Investigation: Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Wagered, Lost More Than $100 Million
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was officially charged with bank fraud, United States Attorney E. Martin Estrada of the Central District of California said in a press conference on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Mizuhara was charged with stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani. He admitted to stealing from him in a conversation with the bookmaker, and impersonated Ohtani over the phone with the bank. For full details on the Department of Justice’s press conference and findings, click here.
A 37-page complaint was filed against Mizuhara. Among the many findings was how much Mizuhara bet — and the numbers are staggering.
How Much Did Ippei Mizuhara Bet?
According to the complaint, Mizuhara made approximately 19,000 wagers between Dec. 2021 and Jan. 2024. He made nearly 25 bets per day on average.
The bets ranged from $10 to $160,000, which averages out to $12,800 per wager.
In total, Mizuhara lost $182,935,206.68 on his bets. He won $142,256,769.74, which comes out to a net loss of $40,678,436.95.
Did Ippei Mizuhara Bet on Baseball?
The complaint found that of the approximately 19,000 wagers, none were on the sport of baseball.
“The 35966 Records do not reflect any bets on baseball games,” the complaint read.
Mizuhara could face up to 30 years in federal prison. He’s expected to appear in court in the coming days.