Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter of Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty to stealing millions from the star player

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of MLB star Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the star player to cover his gambling debts, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Justice.

Mizuhara, 39, agreed to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, punishable of a maximum of three years in prison, according to the United States. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks, with an arraignment scheduled for May 14, the DOJ said.

“The scale of this defendant’s deception and theft is enormous,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “He used his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit. My office is committed to vindicating victims throughout our community and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.”

This is a developing story. Please check again for updates.