Gambling runner sentenced in connection to Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter

Los Angeles. – Mathew Bowyer, a 50-year-old illegal bookmaker, was sentenced this Friday to 12 months and one day in prison, in addition to two years of supervised release, for his participation in a betting ring that involved the former interpreter of Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

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The decision was made by federal judge John W. Holcomb, who also ordered Bowyer to attend gambling therapy and surrender to authorities before next October 10. Prior to the sentence, Bowyer had already paid $1.6 million in restitution. The defendant pleaded guilty in August 2024 to operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the tax crime and the need to impose pre-trial detention to send a clear message about the seriousness of the case.

Cooperation with justice

The prosecution had requested a sentence of less than 15 months, highlighting Bowyer’s collaboration in the investigations that led to convictions against Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s former interpreter, and another bookmaker from Southern California. Mizuhara was sentenced to almost five years in prison after it was proven that he stole nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover debts generated by his bets. Bowyer, for his part, argued that he was unaware of the illicit origin of Mizuhara’s money and that he himself was in recovery from a gambling addiction.

“I apologize to Ohtani”

After the hearing, Bowyer offered a public apology to the Japanese superstar:

“If I saw Shohei Ohtani, I would tell him that I am sorry that his name has been tarnished by this case. He is an innocent man who is only dedicated to playing baseball at the highest level,” he expressed.

The court record indicates that Bowyer operated a large-scale gambling business for years with more than 700 clients. Mizuhara made at least 19,000 bets between 2021 and 2024, losing almost 41 million dollars. The scandal came to light in March 2024, after ESPN uncovered millionaire transfers from Ohtani’s account to Bowyer’s operation. Currently, Mizuhara is serving a 57-month sentence in a low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania, while Bowyer is due to enter prison in October.