Baseball star Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter has prison start postponed

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The erstwhile interpreter for shot prima Shohei Ohtani who was expected to statesman his astir five-year situation word connected Monday, has had his surrender day postponed, according to national prosecutors.

The crushed for the alteration and Ippei Mizuhara's caller surrender day are nether seal, Justice Department spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy said Monday.

Mizuhara was sentenced successful national tribunal successful Santa Ana past period to 4 years and 9 months for slope and taxation fraud aft helium stole astir $17 cardinal from the Los Angeles Dodgers players' slope account. He was expected to surrender to authorities by Monday.

Mizuhara has pleaded blameworthy to slope and taxation fraud, and helium has apologized to Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the authorities and his household successful court.

His lawyer did not instantly respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

As an interpreter for arguably the world's astir celebrated shot player, helium was expected to span the spread betwixt the Japanese jock and his English-speaking teammates and fans.

But down the scenes, authorities said Mizuhara had started accessing Ohtani's relationship opening successful 2021 and changed its information protocols truthful helium could impersonate Ohtani to authorize ligament transfers.

He has acknowledged utilizing the wealth to screen his increasing gambling bets and debts with an amerciable bookmaker, successful summation to $325,000 worthy of shot cards and his ain dental bills.

Mizuhara had besides been ordered to wage $18 cardinal successful restitution, with astir $17 cardinal going to Ohtani and the remainder to the IRS. He was sentenced to 3 years' supervised merchandise connected apical of the situation sentence.

Inside baseball, Mizuhara stood by Ohtani's broadside for galore of the athlete's vocation highlights, from serving arsenic his catcher during the Home Run Derby astatine the 2021 All-Star Game, to being determination for his 2 American League MVP wins and his record-shattering $700 million, 10-year woody with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Off the field, Mizuhara was Ohtani's person and confidant. He famously resigned from the Los Angeles Angels during the 2021 MLB lockout truthful helium could support speaking to Ohtani, and helium was rehired aft a woody was struck.

This lawsuit has stoked an planetary media frenzy and stemmed from a broader probe into amerciable sports bookmaking organizations successful Southern California and the laundering of proceeds done casinos successful Las Vegas.