Ippei Mizuhara, once an interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, is facing sentencing for defrauding the player out of nearly $17 million to pay gambling debts. After pleading guilty to bank and tax fraud, Mizuhara requested a lighter sentence of 18 months while prosecutors seek nearly five years. His actions led to a significant scandal in the sports world, affecting Ohtani's reputation despite claims he had no knowledge of the misconduct. Prosecutors aim for Mizuhara to repay Ohtani and the IRS significant sums totaling over $18 million.
In a letter to the judge ahead of sentencing, Mizuhara said he'd put his "heart and soul" into his work, taking on the role of driver, trainer, chef, off the field interpreter and support member for Ohtani over the years.
Prosecutors have asked for a nearly five-year sentence; Mizuhara requested a year and a half. As part of his job as translator and de facto manager of Ohtani, Mizuhara served as a go-between.
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