Ex-interpreter for Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani agrees to plead guilty to stealing $17M from pitcher (2024)

FAQs

Who is the interpreter of Shohei Ohtani? ›

Ippei Mizuhara, a former Japanese interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtanti, has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, admitting he stole millions of dollars and filed a false tax return as he tried to cover massive gambling debts.

MLB player Shohei Ohtani recently signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, making it the most lucrative contract in sports history.

Ohtani's contract calls for $2 million annual salaries and $68 million deferred each year without interest to be paid in $68 million installments between 2034 and 2043.

In 2024, Ohtani will pay 37% on income exceeding $609,499 ($731,200 if married). This federal rate is projected to climb to 39% in 2026. Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, more colloquially referred to as the Trump tax cuts, are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025.

Ippei is a close personal friend of Shohei's in addition to being his interpreter, and ESPN reported that he was making between $300,000 and $500,000 for his work as Shohei's interpreter, both when he was with the Angels and with the Dodgers.

How much do mlb interpreter jobs pay per year? $50,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $69,000 is the 75th percentile.

The wealthiest MLB player of all time, based on career earnings and post-baseball ventures, is Alex Rodriguez, with a net worth of $350 million. His investments in real estate, sports, and media, along with collaborations with major brands, have solidified his position as the richest player in MLB history.

In 1980 Nolan Ryan became the first million dollar player when he signed a four-year free agent contract with the Houston Astros for one million dollars per season. The salary quadrupled what he had been making with the California Angels.

“I would say yes, he's worth it,” said one executive. “Beyond being one of the most talented players in the league and still in his prime, the makeup is also outstanding, as far as a teammate and worker. You can guarantee he's going to put in the effort to stay healthy and productive for the length of the deal.”

On average, MLB bat boys earn about $9 to $10 per hour. The salary range may vary slightly between teams, but this hourly rate is consistent across the league. Most bat boys work eight to nine-hour days during the 81 home games each year for their respective ball clubs.

Will Ohtani pay tax in California? ›

That current contract is structured so that Ohtani will defer $68 million dollars annually, only receiving $2 million per year for ten years and potentially allow Ohtani to avoid paying over $90 million in state taxes, if he were to reside out of California when the deferred compensation is paid.

With a simple Instagram post, the largest deal in sporting history was confirmed. Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, who some experts predict could end his career as the best in baseball history, announced he had signed a $1 billion contract for 10 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

With a deferred income plan, Ohtani won't have to pay federal or state income taxes on the money that's been set aside until he actually receives it.

That means he will be paying around $300m in total taxes on the record-breaking contract until he is 39. According to U.S tax expert Robert Raiola, Ohtani will pay 37 per cent federal tax, 13.3 per cent California tax, a 2.35 per cent Medicare & Medicare surcharge and 1.1 per cent for State Disability Insurance (SDI).

The Mets set off to win their first World Series since 1986. But by the end, the only new title they could claim was for the highest luxury tax payroll of all time: $374.4 million. That led to a tax bill that more than doubled the previous record of $43.6 million paid by the Dodgers after the 2015 season.

Shohei Ohtani talks with Ippei Mizuhara during an Angels game against the Athletics in 2021. Mizuhara was born in the northern Japanese region of Hokkaido in 1984 and moved with his family to Southern California in 1991.

That was because Bowyer was a target of a federal investigation for allegedly running a bookmaking operation out of Southern California. Bowyer's attorney confirmed to NBC Los Angeles that Bowyer was a bookmaker who placed bets with Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Ohtani.

He does, however, know a few English (and even some Spanish) phrases, which he sometimes uses to endear himself to teammates and coaches. Shohei explained in an interview with GQ why he prefers to speak in Japanese during his interviews: "If I could speak English, I would speak English," he says in Japanese.

Shohei Ohtani knows English but feels more at ease speaking his native language. During most of his time in the U.S. when addressing the American crowd, he was always accompanied by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently in custody.