Federal prosecutors in Southern California have revealed that Mizuhara will be charged with bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return.

According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, Mizuhara's deceit and theft were of massive proportions. Exploiting his position of trust, Mizuhara allegedly took advantage of Ohtani to fuel his dangerous gambling habit. Mizuhara, who was an employee of Ohtani's former team, the Los Angeles Angels, also received separate payments from the player for additional services such as driving him to meetings and interpreting for non-baseball-related activities.

Authorities explain that Mizuhara began placing illegal bets with a bookmaker in September 2021, resulting in significant losses and mounting debts. Unable to pay off his gambling debts, Mizuhara devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from Ohtani's account. Prosecutors assert that Mizuhara manipulated Ohtani's password to access the player's bank account without his knowledge or consent. He changed the registered email address and telephone number on the account, ensuring that bank employees would communicate with him instead of Ohtani when verifying wire transfers.

Furthermore, Mizuhara impersonated Ohtani and used the player's personal information to deceive the bank's employees, making fraudulent wire transfers. It is alleged that he called the bank pretending to be Ohtani multiple times, successfully deceiving them for 24 hours each time.

Scheduled to be arraigned next Tuesday, Mizuhara faces multiple charges of fraud. In one instance, Mizuhara transferred $500,000 from Ohtani's account to an associate of the bookmaker. Additionally, Mizuhara used Ohtani's debit card to pay for his own dental work, keeping the check amount for himself. Over a three-month period this year, Mizuhara also used $325,000 from Ohtani's account to buy baseball cards with the intention of reselling them for profit.

Reports initially emerged about Ohtani's potential ties to an illegal gambling operation while the Dodgers were playing their season-opening games against the San Diego Padres in Seoul. Throughout the investigation, federal prosecutors have consistently maintained that Ohtani was unaware of Mizuhara's actions and have referred to him as a victim.

Ohtani, a generational talent and the first player since Babe Ruth to excel as both a hitter and a pitcher, recently left the Angels to sign a highly unusual blockbuster deal with the Dodgers. While representatives for Ohtani have not provided immediate comments on the situation, Mizuhara's attorney has declined to offer further statements.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of trust and vigilance when it comes to financial matters, even for high-profile athletes like Shohei Ohtani. As the legal proceedings move forward, the baseball world will be closely watching for further developments in this shocking case of financial fraud.