Ohtani interpreter to plead guilty over $17M fraud: US Justice Department

LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter has agreed to plead guilty over charges of illegally transferring nearly $17 million from the baseball star's bank account in order to pay off gambling debts, the United States Justice Department said Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

Ippei Mizuhara, 39, will plead guilty to one count of bank fraud — punishable by up to 30 years in prison — and one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum sentence of three years, the Justice Department said.

Federal prosecutors have said Mizuhara — Ohtani's longtime friend and confidant — plundered millions from the Los Angeles Dodgers ace's bank account to fund an "insatiable appetite" for gambling.

Mizuhara is expected to formally enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks, with arraignment scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on May 14.

"The extent of this defendant's deception and theft is massive," United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement on Wednesday.

"He took advantage of his position of trust to take advantage of Mr Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit," Estrada added.

Japanese sensation Ohtani, currently the biggest star in baseball, joined the Dodgers last December in a record-breaking $700-million deal — the richest contract in North American sports history.

Tyler Hatcher, special agent in charge from the Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigation unit, said the probe had revealed Mizuhara "not only stole from Mr Ohtani, but also that he lied to the IRS about his income."

"Mr Mizuhara exploited his relationship with Mr Ohtani to bankroll his own irresponsibility," Hatcher said in a statement.

Mizuhara's guilty plea had been expected.

After an initial court appearance last month, his lawyer said he wished to apologize to "Ohtani, the Dodgers, and Major League Baseball" for his actions and sought a swift resolution so he can "take responsibility."

The revelations surrounding Mizuhara erupted as the new baseball season got under way in March, stunning the sports world and potentially embroiling Ohtani in scandal.

Prosecutors have repeatedly emphasized that Ohtani was an innocent victim of Mizuhara's deception, and that