Audio captures ex-interpreter impersonating Shohei Ohtani

The former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani tried to pass himself off as the Los Angeles Dodgers star during a phone call with a bank in an attempt to secure a $200,000 wire transfer, according to federal prosecutors.

Multiple media outlets reported the details on Thursday.

A tape recording of the alleged conversation was introduced as evidence in the lead-up to the sentencing of Ippei Mizuhara, who pleaded guilty last year to bank fraud and tax-evasion charges. Mizuhara confessed that he stole almost $17 million from Ohtani.

The government is asking for Mizuhara to receive a sentence of almost five years.

Michael G. Freedman, Mizuhara's lawyer, requested an 18-month sentence, maintaining that his client has long dealt with an addiction to gambling.

Assistant U.S. attorney Jeff Mitchell introduced the recording as part of the proceeding at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

Mizuhara allegedly had already obtained access to Ohtani's bank accounts and changed security credentials to give himself entry. The person on the tape tells the bank employee that he is Shohei Ohtani, then provides a phone number to the bank for authorization -- a number that prosecutors say belonged to Mizuhara.

The bank asked the reason for the transaction, and the response was that it was for a car loan.

The bank representative asked Mizuhara, maintaining he was Ohtani, "What is your relationship to the payee?"

"He's my friend," Mizuhara said.

"Have you met your friend in person?" the bank employee asked.

"Yes, many times," Mizuhara said.

When asked if "there will be any future wires to your friend," the response was, "Uh, possibly."

In addition to a prison sentence for Mizuhara, the government is demanding that he repay Ohtani the money that was stolen and pay the IRS $1.1 million.

Mizuhara worked as Ohtani's interpreter with the Los Angeles Angels and later with the Dodgers after the two-way player changed teams with a free agent deal in December 2023. He was fired in March 2024 after prosecutors reported Ohtani was a victim of theft following the investigation into an illegal bookmaking operation that led to Mizuhara's indictment.

In a court brief filed Thursday, Mizuhara said of dealing with his gambling addiction that led to $17 million in losses, "I became almost dead inside. It was like I was just going through the motions. Although I had always told myself that I would win it all back, as it became clear to me this was an impossibility, I think I just shut down. But that did not stop me from placing more bets. I felt really antsy and anxious if I did not have an active bet. I felt pressure to stay in the game."

Mitchell responded in his brief, "Even if defendant is addicted to gambling, it cannot fully explain defendant's conduct because defendant used the stolen funds for numerous personal expenses that had nothing to do with gambling. Ultimately, the government submits, the motivating factor behind defendant's crimes was not a gambling addiction but rather greed."

--Field Level Media