Shohei Ohtani hit with huge news over gambling scandal hours before return to the mound with LA Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani’s disgraced former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has reported to a federal prison in Pennsylvania to begin his incarceration. 

Mizuhara will serve 57 months in Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Low, a low-security facility in the rural part of the state, after stealing around $17million from the Los Angeles Dodgers megastar. 

The news of Ohtani’s former interpreter comes hours before the Japanese dynamo is slated to make his first start as a pitcher since August 2023. 

Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers last March after it was revealed millions in wire transfers from Ohtani’s bank accounts were sent to an illegal bookmaker.

The 40-year-old pled guilty to bank fraud and filing a false tax return last June, with his report to prison coming one year after he formally admitted to the crimes, per ESPN. 

Miuzhara revealed he placed over 19,000 bets over a 2-year span and had amassed more than $40million in debt. 

Shohei Ohtani’s disgraced former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has reported to a federal prison

The 40-year-old pled guilty stealing around $17million from the Los Angeles Dodgers megastar

Mizuhara (right) will serve 57 months in a federal prison, Allenwood Low, in rural Pennsylvania

Mizuhara was originally scheduled to report to federal prison in March but it was delayed for publicly unknown reasons. 

Legal representation for Mizuhara had previously told ESPN that they expect the former interpreter to be deported. 

Mizuhara’s bookie, Mathew Mowyer, has yet to be sentenced. He pled guilty last July to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing a false tax return. 

Ohtani will be on the bump tonight as the team faces the San Diego Padres, who have plenty of talented hitters that could carve apart a rusty starter.   

The 30-year-old was kept from making pitching appearances for nearly two years while he recovered from elbow surgery. 

In his only Major League Baseball season of focusing on just hitting and fielding, Ohtani became the first member of the sport’s 50-50 club. 

Ohtani is not on track to duplicate the feat this season, but does have 25 home runs in 70 games played in 2025.