MLB issues official statement on Ippei Mizuhara, will not investigate Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter for now
The ongoing criminal investigation of Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has taken a number of turns, keeping fans on the edge of their seat. The once-beloved translator has been at the forefront of a federal investigation into not only an illegal gambling operation but also the theft of millions of dollars from the two-time MVP.
"This detail from @Alden_Gonzalez and @pinepaula's story on Ippei Mizuhara being charged with stealing more than $16 million from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani answers a long-standing question of how he got access to the money. Full story here" - @JeffPassan
It was announced on Thursday that the federal investigators involved in the scandal have charged Ippei Mizuhara with felony bank fraud. According to reports, the controversial interpreter was caught on phone calls pretending to be Shohei Ohtani in order to authorize bank transfers to pay off his gambling debts.
In the wake of the potentially damning revelations, the MLB released an official statement regarding the ongoing scandal. The league announced that given the latest news that Shohei Ohtani is considered a victim and that no bets were placed on baseball, they would not investigate Mizuhara any further until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
"MLB statement on Shohei Ohtani investigation" - @BNightengale
The MLB's decision to no longer investigate Mizuhara certainly comes following the news that neither Shohei Ohtani nor baseball bets are involved in the criminal case. The league likely wanted to make sure that they were not dealing with another Pete Rose situation, with the all-time hit leader being found to have bet on his own games as a manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
Given the fact that Ohtani is seemingly innocent of any wrongdoing or betting on baseball games, the fate of Mizuhara will rest with the federal investigators.
Ippei Mizuhara is reportedly negotiating a guilty plea with prosecutors
According to the New York Times, the former Los Angeles Dodgers translator is negotiating a guilty plea deal. Although the details of the guilty plea have not yet been revealed, if agreed upon, it would likely lessen any punishment for Mizuhara.
Since Mizuhara is being charged with felony bank fraud for $16,000,000, the former interpreter faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. If he agrees to a guilty plea deal, that number will likely be reduced.