Santa Anna, California (APP) – A former spokesperson for Baseball star Shohi Ohtani was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison on Thursday, and has supervised three years for bank and tax fraud. Los Angeles Dodgers Player Bank Account
After convincing the crime last year, IP Mizohara, who eliminated the gap between Japanese athletes and his English -speaking team colleagues and fans, was sentenced in the Federal Court in Santa Anna, California.
On Thursday, he was ordered to restore $ 18 million, of which about $ 17 million went to Ohtani and the rest of the IRS. He was ordered to be handed over to the authorities to begin his sentence by March 24.
US District Judge John W. Holkomb issued the sentence, “Theft of theft – Million 17 million – In my view, is surprisingly high.”
Most people do not make enough money in their lives, Holkomb said.
“I hope Mr Mizohra will be able to pay the money,” said Holkomab. “It’s yet to be seen.”
Mazhahara has acknowledged the amount of $ 325,000 in addition to the baseball cards of $ 325,000 and his own dental bills to meet his growing gambling stakes and loans with an illegal bookmaker using this amount.
His lawyer refused to comment after the hearing.
The matter impressed the world’s most famous baseball player – who had previously prepared for this Los Angeles Angeles – and an international media stopped frenzy. It was created in southern California with a wide range of investigations into the laundering of illegal sports bookbaking organizations and the money received through casino bases in Las Vegas, which made a dozen defendants a net.
The prosecution wrote in the court, “Mr. Ohtani and several lies were stolen from his funds for years, which he told Mr Ohtani’s agents and financial advisers to cover his theft. Calculation represents a cheat that was hired to help him. ” Papers
In a letter written to the court, Mizohara described his financial tension and gambling addiction, which he hoped to remove his money problems. He also claimed his praise and his remorse.
“I am demanding a little kindness from the court about my punishment,” Masohara wrote. ” In order to become the best version of itself in this field. I want to say that I am really sorry for violating his confidence.
Masohara gained access to Otani’s account, which began in 2021 and replaced his security protocol so that he could imitate it to allow the wire transfer. By 2024, Mazhara used this money online seller to buy about $ 325,000 worth of baseball cards and cost millions of dollars that international football, NBA, NF L and college were not to compete with football.
Prosecutors said that Mizohara never made a bet on baseball, and that Ohtani was the victim of the scheme.
The prosecution wrote, “There is no doubt, Mr. Ohtani is really a victim and he is in distress, and the defendant’s behavior will suffer.”
Michael G Friedman, Masohara’s lawyer, wrote in court that his client is accustomed to gambling, who has made a “horrific mistake” and has faced the loss of job and reputation. Fredman, while sentenced to a year and a half, wrote that Mizohara accepts responsibility for his actions and expects to be deported to his native Japan after timely service.
Mizohara was born in Japan and when he was 6 years old he went to California with his parents. He struggled to learn English but eventually he returned to Japan to become a spokesperson for the Japanese baseball team and later to become a spokesperson for Ohtani, filing according to the court
Fredman wrote, they both formed a tough bond bond, and Meshara moved to the United States in 2018 with Othani, where they took numerous work for a player like grocery shopping.
Within the baseball, Mazhahara served as his catcher during the home run derby at the All -Star Game of 2021, for many highlights of the athlete’s career, standing by Ohtani, his two American league The MVP victory and its record shetering were there for $ 700. Million, with a 10 -year contract Los Angeles Dodgers.
Far from the field, Mizohara was a friend and trusted. He resigned from her famously Los Angeles’s angels during the 2021 MLB lockout
Last year, Ohtani and Dodgers won the World Series, and the baseball star won its third most valuable player award.
