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Mizuhara plea deal is legal and baseball win for Ohtani

Related Topics: Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani

The sports betting controversy involving Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani appears headed for a swift resolution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Los Angeles Wednesday announced that Ohtani’s former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, will plead guilty to bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return. The 39-year-old resident of Newport Beach, Calif., faces a maximum prison sentence of 33 years. However, given his cooperation and guilty plea, Mizuhara will likely receive a much shorter sentence.

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Federal prosecutors depict Ohtani as a victim of crime whose wealth and limited English made him easy prey for Mizuhara.