LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal decide on Friday ordered former Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani launched on $25,000 bail and ordered him to bear therapy for playing dependancy.
Ippei Mizuhara exploited his private {and professional} relationship with Ohtani to loot $16 million from the participant’s checking account over time, prosecutors mentioned, generally posing as Ohtani to bankers so he may cowl his bets and money owed.
Mizuhara spoke solely Friday to reply the decide’s questions, saying “sure” when requested if he understood numerous elements of the case and the circumstances of his bail.
Mizuhara, wearing a darkish go well with and a white collared shirt, entered the room along with his ankles cuffed, however he was not handcuffed. The decide permitted his legal professional’s request to take away his shackles.
Mizuhara turned himself in Friday earlier than his preliminary courtroom look. He’s charged with one rely of financial institution fraud and faces as much as 30 years in jail if he’s convicted.
Different bail circumstances stipulate that Mizuhara can not gamble, both electronically or in individual, enter any playing institution, or affiliate with any recognized playing home.
Mizuhara can be prohibited from contacting any sufferer or witness within the case in any manner. He’s scheduled to be arraigned on Could 9.
The listening to lasted about 10 minutes inside a room stuffed with press, largely Japanese media.
The $25,000 unsecured bonus, additionally recognized colloquially as a signing bonus, means Mizuhara didn’t must put up money or collateral to be launched. If she violates the circumstances of her bail, she might be pressured to pay $25,000.
His legal professional, Michael G. Freedman, advised the decide that his consumer was already planning to bear therapy for playing dependancy.
Prosecutors mentioned there was no proof that Ohtani was concerned in or conscious of Mizuhara’s playing, and authorities mentioned Ohtani is cooperating with investigators.
Mizuhara was not requested to enter a plea throughout Friday’s transient courtroom look in downtown Los Angeles. A felony grievance filed Thursday particulars the alleged scheme by proof that included textual content messages, monetary information and telephone name recordings.
Whereas Mizuhara’s profitable bets totaled greater than $142 million, which he deposited into his personal checking account and never Ohtani’s, his dropping bets had been round $183 million, a internet lack of almost $41 million. {Dollars}.
In a message to his unlawful betting home on March 20, the day the Los Angeles Instances and ESPN broke the information of the federal investigation, Mizuhara wrote: “Technically, I stole from him. It is throughout for me.”
Main League Baseball opened its personal investigation after the controversy arose and the Dodgers instantly fired Mizuhara.