Ohtani's ex-interpreter 'insane' gambler, bookie says

Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, displayed "insane" gambling habits, betting around the clock and on high-payout stakes, according to Mathew Bowyer, a bookmaker involved in the illegal gambling operation.

Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud and is facing a sentence of 4 years and 9 months for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani's bank accounts to cover his gambling debts. Bowyer, who spoke to ESPN, noted that even as a compulsive gambler himself, Mizuhara's betting frequency and volume were shocking.

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He was betting all night, betting all the time. I've never seen anything like it.

"I'm sleeping, I have my own life. He was betting all night, betting all the time. I've never seen anything like it," Bowyer said. He added that Mizuhara's attempts to escape his debt pit only made him a worse gambler as he began to chase high-risk, high-reward bets.

E. Martín Estrada, a former federal prosecutor who investigated the case, believes Mizuhara saw the situation as more than just a gambling addiction. Estrada suggested Mizuhara likely saw an "excellent opportunity" to get rich and exploited it, rather than acting solely out of desperation.

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I think it's more likely that he was given an excellent opportunity, and then he saw a bigger opportunity to get rich and took advantage of it.