Ohtani's Ex-Interpreter Agrees to Plead Guilty over Bank Fraud

Los Angeles, May 8 (Jiji Press)--Ippei Mizuhara, a former interpreter for Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges of bank fraud, the U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday.

Having reached the plea agreement, the 39-year-old will appear before a court in Los Angeles on Tuesday for his arraignment.

In a press release by the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said, "The extent of this defendant's deception and theft is massive."

"My office is committed to vindicating victims throughout our community and ensuring that wrongdoers face justice," he added.

Mizuhara is suspected of fraudulently transferring around 17 million dollars out of Ohtani's bank account in Arizona, in order to repay his debts racked up in illegal gambling.

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