Interpreter Allegedly Heard in Newly Released Audio Posing as Shohei Ohtani for $200,000 Transfer

Ippei Mizuhara, who last year agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud in connection with illegally transferring millions of dollars from Shohei Ohtani, is allegedly heard in a newly released recording posing as the Dodgers hitter on a phone call.

As first reported by Evan Drellich and Sam Blum for the New York Times’ The Athletic vertical, the recording is cited in a recent filing ahead of Mizuhara’s February sentencing. The recording, heard here, opens with a bank agent asking, “Who am I speaking with?” A voice, alleged to be Mizuhara, responds with, “Shohei Ohtani.”

From there, the same voice is heard saying that they recently tried to make a wire transfer and were transferred to the agent’s number after not being able to access the account online. Asked to give a reason for the $200,000 transaction in question, the person claims the money is for a “car loan” for a friend.

In March of last year, the Dodgers were reported to have fired Mizuhara, who was then working as an interpreter for Ohtani. At the time, Mizuhara was accused of engaging in a “massive theft.” Later that month, the MLB said it had been “gathering information” in the run-up to launching a formal Department of Investigations inquiry.

By April, Mizuhara had been federally charged with illegally transferring over $16 million from Ohtani’s account “without the player’s knowledge or permission.” Per prosecutors, this was done to pay off what they described as “substantial gambling debts.” The illegal transfers are alleged to have occurred between 2021 and 2024. Additionally, Mizuhara was accused of using the account in question to buy $325,000 worth of baseball cards.

Mizuhara later agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud and submitting a false tax return. Plea deal docs showed that Mizuhara had worked as both the translator “and de facto manager of” Ohtani when the alleged crimes took place. During this period, he worked under both the Angels, where Ohtani previously played, and the Dodgers, the team he’s called home since last year. In a statement at the time, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said that Mizuhara “took advantage of his position of trust to take advantage of Mr. Ohtani and fuel a dangerous gambling habit.”

Sentencing is slated for Feb. 6.