Ippei Mizuhara has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of felony bank fraud and submitting a false tax return after authorities found that he stole nearly $17 million from Shohei Ohtani in order to pay off gambling debts to an illegal sportsbook.
Mizuhara, 39, who had been Ohtani\'s longtime interpreter, is expected to enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks.
His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The total maximum sentence Mizuhara could receive for both crimes would be 33 years imprisonment and fines of $1.25 million, but in exchange for his plea -- outlined in the agreement released Wednesday -- prosecutors would recommend a reduced sentence.