Introduction to the Case
A Southern California bookmaker who took thousands of sports bets from the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced to just over a year in prison Friday.
Mathew Bowyer, now 50, had pleaded guilty a year ago to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
Background of the Case
The case against Bowyer is part of a broader federal probe into illegal sports gambling that led to the arrest of Ohtani’s former Japanese language interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player.
Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for stealing millions of dollars from the Dodgers star to pay off gambling losses.
The Sentencing
“The bottom line is, I am remorseful. I have made many poor choices in my life,” Bowyer told the court before sentencing, his voice trembling.
Bowyer will later be subjected to two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, which his lawyer said he’s already paid.
Federal prosecutors wanted Bowyer sentenced to 15 months in prison for running the scheme that placed hundreds of millions of dollars in bets and netted thousands of dollars each day. They said Bowyer could have faced a longer sentence but shouldn’t thanks to his significant assistance in their investigations.
The Investigation
U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb said he was impressed by Bowyer’s recent efforts to assist gambling addicts and the overwhelming support shown by Bowyer’s family and friends, more than a dozen who were in the courtroom Friday, but said he felt some prison time was necessary due to the tax crime.
“Despite the significant mitigation, there are consequences for committing these crimes,” Holcomb said.
Diane Bass, Bowyer’s attorney, wanted her client to be spared prison time entirely because of his “extraordinary acceptance of responsibility.” In a letter to the court, the father of five from San Juan Capistrano, California, said he began gambling as a teen by playing poker and betting on video games, and it later spiraled out of control.
“It is so easy to gamble everything away and fall into despair,” Bowyer wrote. "I am very sorry and embarrassed that I facilitated such dangerous risk-taking.”
The Broader Impact
Authorities said Bowyer ran an illegal gambling business for at least five years in Southern California and Las Vegas and took wagers from more than 700 bettors including Mizuhara, who had long worked with Ohtani and was regularly seen by his side.
While Mizuhara’s winnings totaled over $142 million, which he deposited in his own bank account and not Ohtani’s, his losing bets were around $183 million — a net loss of nearly $41 million. Investigators said Mizhuara wagered on sports other than baseball. Authorities said Ohtani was a victim in the case.
Bowyer cooperated with investigators in their prosecution of Mizuhara and in a case against the head of a large sports gambling business, federal prosecutors wrote in court filings. They said his “significant, timely, and credible” assistance helped authorities obtain two separate convictions.
Since then, Bowyer has been addressing his own gambling addiction and helping others overcome theirs, his lawyer wrote in court filings.
Sports Gambling Laws
Operating an unlicensed betting business is a federal crime. Sports gambling is illegal in California, while most states and the District of Columbia allow some form of it.
Sports-betting scandals have made headlines in recent years, including one that led Major League Baseball to ban a player for life last year for the first time since Pete Rose was barred in 1989.
The league’s gambling policy prohibits players and team employees from wagering on baseball, even legally. MLB also bans betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
The league last year banned San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano and suspended four other players for betting on baseball legally. Marcano became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling.
A rice field art in northeastern Japan was planted to depict Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the case of Mathew Bowyer, the bookmaker linked to Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, highlights the serious consequences of engaging in illegal sports gambling activities. The sentencing of Bowyer to over a year in prison serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to the laws and regulations surrounding sports betting.
FAQs
Q: What was Mathew Bowyer sentenced for?
A: Mathew Bowyer was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for running an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and filing a false tax return.
Q: Who is Ippei Mizuhara and what is his connection to the case?
A: Ippei Mizuhara is the former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, and he is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani.
Q: What is the policy of Major League Baseball regarding sports betting?
A: Major League Baseball prohibits players and team employees from wagering on baseball, even legally, and also bans betting on other sports with illegal or offshore bookmakers.
Q: What is the significance of the case against Mathew Bowyer?
A: The case against Mathew Bowyer highlights the serious consequences of engaging in illegal sports gambling activities and serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to the laws and regulations surrounding sports betting.
