Los Angeles –
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter appeared in court in California on Tuesday charged with illegally transferring nearly $17 million from the baseball star’s bank account to pay off gambling debts.
A lawyer for Ippei Mizuhara said the 39-year-old has reached an agreement with prosecutors on his charges, which the U.S. Department of Justice said will be one count of bank fraud — punishable by up to 30 years in prison — and one count of criminal complaint . a false tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of three years.
Federal prosecutors have said Mizuhara – Ohtani’s longtime friend and confidant – looted millions from the Los Angeles Dodgers ace’s bank account to fund an “insatiable appetite” for gambling.
