SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges during a change-of-plea hearing in federal court on Tuesday morning, two counts that carry a maximum prison sentence of 33 years.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. PT.
Mizuhara, 39, wore a black suit with a white undershirt while standing alongside his attorney, Michael Freedman, in the 10th floor of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse. U.S. district judge John W. Holcomb presided over the hearing.
Mizuhara behind a lectern alongside Freedman and repeatedly replied "yes sir" and "no sir" while Holcomb asked him questions about his knowledge of the plea agreement and the rights he was forfeiting by admitting guilt.