Hours earlier than Shohei Ohtani’s first MLB pitching look in practically two years, his scandal-scarred former interpreter reported to federal jail.
He surrendered to the low-security facility on Monday, which was his deadline to take action.
Mizuhara was sentenced in February to 57 months — or practically 5 years — in federal jail for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s checking account to cowl his personal playing money owed.
A U.S. district decide additionally ordered Mizuhara to pay greater than $18 million in restitution, together with slightly below $17 million to Ohtani.
The controversy erupted in March of 2024 when the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Mizuhara and the Japanese-born Ohtani publicly accused him of large theft.
“I’m just beyond shocked,” Ohtani stated by one other interpreter on the time.
Three months later, Mizuhara pleaded responsible to at least one rely of financial institution fraud and one other rely of subscribing to a false tax return.
The scandal marked a whirlwind begin to Ohtani’s tenure with the Dodgers, whom he joined in December of 2023 on a 10-year, $700 million contract that includes closely deferred cash.
Ohtani’s time with the Dodgers has gone virtually in addition to potential since then, because the 30-year-old slugger gained Nationwide League MVP final season and helped lead Los Angeles to a World Sequence championship.
On Monday, the two-way sensation was scheduled to pitch in his first MLB recreation since present process proper elbow surgical procedure in September of 2023. Ohtani was set to function the opener in opposition to the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium and pitch an inning or two.
“He’s ready to pitch in a major league game,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated Sunday. “He let us know that.”
