Ippei Mizuhara Discusses Struggles, Reveals Reason He Stole From Shohei Ohtani in All-Encompassing Letter to Judge

Ippei Mizuhara, the previous interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers famous person Shohei Ohtani, has despatched a letter to Honorable Decide John W. Holcomb asking for an 18-month sentence in jail for his financial institution fraud costs after stealing practically $17 million from Ohtani to repay his playing money owed.

On Thursday, federal prosecutors requested for a 57-month jail sentence for Mizuhara, and for him to pay $16.9 million of restitution to Ohtani, and one other $1.1 million to the IRS.

Extra information: Audio Recording of Ippei Mizuhara Impersonating Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in Name With Financial institution Launched

Within the three web page letter, Mizuhara opens up about his struggles, and revealed the components in his life that led him to gamble after which steal from Ohtani.

Right here is the letter, in its entirety, by way of Evan Drellich of The Athletic:

Honorable Decide John W. Holcomb,

I’m writing you as we speak earlier than my sentencing listening to. Sadly, I’m asking in your leniency in sentencing me and plead that your sentence be merciful and never punitive. Please take note of what I’m going to say, as many lives are going to be touched and affected by your determination as we speak.

As , your Honor, the crime I dedicated was financial institution fraud and tax fraud. I must inform you what motivated me to behave in opposition to the regulation. I’m really remorseful for the actions that I took.

Since late 2017, I had been working with Shohei Ohtani as his interpreter/supervisor. I can confidently say that I put my coronary heart and soul into my work so Shohei might have the perfect profession potential as an expert baseball participant in america. I had sacrificed not solely my very own life however my household’s life to place Shohei as my primary precedence ever since I began to work for him, and to this present day I’m very completely happy for all the accolades and success he has had up to now.

Often, when a Japanese baseball participant makes the transfer to america, they’d carry over a number of workers members to maintain numerous duties, akin to a driver, coach, chef, off-the-field interpreter/assist member, and many others. Nevertheless, I used to be the one particular person Shohei introduced alongside, so naturally, I needed to assist him with many of the above-mentioned duties. I drove him in all places he wanted to be, went on frequent grocery runs, ran random errands every time he wanted them, so I felt like I used to be on name 24/7. On high of all this, I needed to talk along with his U.S. agent every day and likewise his mom (who was in control of Shohei’s administration on the Japanese facet) a couple of instances per week. With the busy baseball schedule and the worldwide time distinction, there have been many instances after I can be on the cellphone properly previous midnight and lose sleep.

The offseason was a lot more durable each bodily and mentally. Shohei would practice 5-6 instances per week, and I used to be liable for reserving the ability, organising and cleansing up all the apply tools, filming and monitoring all of his workouts, being his coaching companion (because it was simply him and I throughout all the offseason coaching), driving him forwards and backwards, and speaking all of this again to the Angels and his private pitching/hitting/rehabilitation individuals in america. I’d even be operating every day errands akin to grocery purchasing, checking his mailbox, fixing his bicycle, accompanying him when he went again to Iwate Prefecture to go to his household, taking his canine to the vet and groomer, dropping off and selecting up his dinners with friends whereas I waited within the automobile, serving to to coordinate Japanese and U.S. legal professionals for his marriage prenup and attending conferences, and many others.

On high of all this, I used to be liable for speaking with all of his endorsement corporations and brokerage corporations to arrange his manufacturing days for commercials, which occurred as soon as per week in between coaching. I’d accompany him to all of his manufacturing shoots, which left me with virtually no true days off. My solely lengthy consecutive days off can be round 4 days on the flip of the 12 months, which left me with barely any time to spend with my spouse. I usually felt just like the offseason was a lot, a lot busier and extra disturbing than the season itself. For all this work, Shohei paid me a mean of roughly 400,000 yen (roughly $2,500) monthly from October to January, and 20,000 yen (roughly $125–$130) monthly from February to September, which equates to roughly $11,000 per 12 months. The explanation why October to January was increased was as a result of I used to be not getting paid by the baseball group throughout these months, as they had been thought of the low season. I felt like I used to be getting severely underpaid, however I used to be afraid to talk up for myself, as I used to be on a one-year contract yearly, and I didn’t wish to upset them and danger being fired.

I want to briefly contact on my monetary scenario since I began working for Shohei Ohtani. My wage from the Angels was $85,000 in 2018, $87,000 from 2019 to 2021, $99,611.16 (prorated wage as a result of lockout) in 2022, and $250,000 in 2023. I needed to dwell inside a sure neighborhood of Shohei to be shut by to accommodate his every day wants, particularly in his early years in america. This meant that I needed to hire a spot close to him, which resulted in increased hire prices.

On high of the hefty hire worth, I wanted to maintain my spouse’s bills for her flights between Japan and america each 90 days, as she didn’t get her Inexperienced Card till 2023. This additionally meant I needed to pay double the hire whereas she stayed in Japan. Moreover, I needed to pay double hire for my place in each america and Japan throughout the low season whereas I accompanied Shohei to Japan for his low season coaching and industrial shoots. All of those further bills had been taking an enormous toll on me, and I used to be residing paycheck to paycheck. There have been months after I needed to borrow cash from household and pals to make ends meet.

I’ve additionally had quite a few presents from Japanese corporations over time, akin to writing books, doing TV/radio interviews, and showing in TV commercials, which might have helped me financially, however they had been all shut down by Shohei and his firm in Japan.

In 2021, I sadly met Matt Boyer, a web-based sports activities betting bookie, by considered one of Shohei’s teammates. As a consequence of my ignorance of the playing business, I didn’t know till early 2024 that he was an “unlawful bookmaker.” Being determined for cash on the time, I stupidly thought this could be a possibility to assist myself out financially and began utilizing his web site for sports activities betting. Earlier than I knew it, my playing debt had grown a lot that I couldn’t discover any method to pay it off however by utilizing Shohei’s cash. I felt terribly responsible about placing my arms on his cash, however on the time, it appeared like the one answer.

As the times went on, my debt continued to develop, and at this level, I believed the one method to get out of this debt and pay Shohei again was to win it again by playing. I now notice that I had developed a horrible dependancy, and I solely noticed hope in life whereas playing. I’ve discovered my lesson in a really exhausting method, and after seeing Dr. Whiting for my playing issues, I can confidently say that my playing days are behind me. I want to use my expertise to assist others who’re affected by comparable conditions and provides again to the group as a lot as I can.

Lastly, please enable me to speak about my household. My spouse and I obtained married in 2018 after courting for 5 years. She was born and raised in Japan and has very minimal English-speaking expertise. We had some immigration lawyer points, so she didn’t obtain her inexperienced card till 2023. Within the meantime, she needed to journey forwards and backwards between Japan and america each 90 days, which I briefly defined above.

I made my spouse undergo a lot stress and bother. She had been detained twice in U.S. customs in a single day and deported as soon as as a result of they thought her frequent journey forwards and backwards was suspicious. She mentioned these experiences had been actually fearsome and even traumatic. In consequence, she was unable to return to america for all of 2022. Now, wanting again, I really feel that playing helped fill the void of not having the ability to see my spouse for your complete 12 months. I really feel horrible and actually responsible for making her undergo all of this.

We all the time wished to have children and have a pleasant marriage ceremony in the future, however we simply couldn’t make it work as a result of we didn’t have the pliability, each time-wise and financially. Shohei gave us a honeymoon ticket by way of Japan Airways as his tip for the 2018 season, however we had been by no means in a position to make use of it since I by no means obtained sufficient day off. We plan to return the ticket to him by our attorneys.

She additionally performed a giant half in supporting Shohei’s journey within the U.S. Within the early years, she would cook dinner him breakfast and periodically make dinner for him. She would watch Shohei’s canine whereas he was away for baseball and even paid out of her pocket to study “Gel Nail” work to guard Shohei’s nails, as he usually suffered from damaged nails whereas pitching. The Gel Nail truly helped defend his nails from additional injury. She really supported each Shohei and me to the perfect of her skills over time and by no means complained, realizing that my precedence was to assist Shohei to the perfect of my capability.

She was by no means conscious of my monetary struggles, as I hid them from her to spare her extra stress and nervousness. We nonetheless hope to have kids in the future, however I really feel {that a} prolonged imprisonment can be detrimental to these possibilities, as we’re each getting older. Her limitations with the English language would additionally make it exhausting for her to dwell with out me, though my mother and father are very supportive and prepared to assist her if I’m not round.

My mother and father have additionally been very supportive of my time as Shohei’s interpreter. They’d usually cook dinner and herald Japanese meals which can be exhausting to search out right here for him and even watched his canine for a couple of days when he needed to be away. I’m their solely youngster, and now we have all the time been a really shut and caring household. I can confidently say that they raised me with a lot love and care.

I perceive that I’ve decided that may affect my complete life, and I’m not making excuses for what I’ve carried out. I’m not making an attempt to justify my actions in any method. I’m asking that you just see me as a person who believes change is feasible. I don’t imagine an apology will repair my wrongs. I’m ready to simply accept the implications. I’m merely asking for somewhat mercy from the court docket in regards to the sentence you’ll hand down. Thanks very a lot.

Lastly, I actually admire Shohei, each as a baseball participant and as a human being, and I used to be dedicated to devoting my life in order that Shohei could possibly be the perfect model of himself on the sector. I wish to say that I’m really sorry for violating his belief in me.

Thanks very a lot for taking the time to learn my letter.

Sincerely,Ippei Mizuhara