A bookmaker in Southern California has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to running an illegal gambling business that involved thousands of sports bets, including those from Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani. The bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, operated the illicit business for at least five years in Southern California and Las Vegas, catering to over 700 bettors.
Bowyer has agreed to plead guilty to charges of running an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing to a false tax return. His attorney stated that Bowyer is prepared to take responsibility for his actions and is expected to enter his pleas in court on August 9.
The case against Bowyer comes in the wake of several sports betting scandals, including one that led to a lifetime ban for a player, marking the first such ban since Pete Rose's in 1989. Operating an unlicensed betting business is a federal offense, and sports gambling remains illegal in California, despite its legalization in many other states.
It was clarified that Bowyer had no direct contact with Shohei Ohtani and only interacted with Mizuhara. Mizuhara, who pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for embezzling nearly $17 million from Ohtani's account, made thousands of wagers totaling over $142 million, resulting in a net loss of nearly $41 million.
Investigators found no evidence of Mizuhara betting on baseball, and Ohtani was not implicated in the gambling activities. Other customers of Bowyer reportedly included a professional baseball player and a former minor league player, though their identities were not disclosed.
MLB is expected to investigate former player David Fletcher for potential sports betting through Bowyer, while another player, Tucupita Marcano, was recently banned for life for gambling on baseball. The league strictly prohibits players and team personnel from wagering on baseball, even through legal means, with penalties determined by the commissioner's office.
