“So I worked for Victim A, and I had access to his bank account,” Mizuhara said. “I had fallen into major gambling debts, and the only way I could think of was to use his money.”
Mizuhara also admitted to wiring money for his gambling debts from Ohtani’s bank account and failing to report the money on his taxes.
Ohtani’s Ex-Interpreter Steals $17M From MLB Star : The Fall from Grace
Mizuhara’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25. His attorney, Michael Freedman of the Freedman Firm, declined to comment after the proceedings.
The plea marks a swift downfall for Mizuhara, who spent the opening day of the Los Angeles Dodgers season in March in the dugout next to Ohtani. Media reports of payments to an illegal bookmaker from Ohtani’s bank account led to Mizuhara’s firing and allegations from Ohtani’s representatives that the baseball star was a victim of massive theft.
Federal authorities have said Ohtani is a victim in the case and had no knowledge of Mizuhara’s gambling problem or the millions taken from his bank account.
