Real Housewives of Orange County star Ryan Boyajian was reportedly the bookmaker's associate to whom the former interpreter for L.A. Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani allegedly wired money from the MLB star to pay off his own gambling debts, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Prosecutors allege that Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player as part of his scheme. In a turn of events today, the interpreter agreed to plead guilty to two federal charges related to the theft.
As part of his plea agreement, Mizuhara will be required to pay full restitution to Ohtani and may have to serve some serious time for the crime.
Mathew Bowyer, the illegal bookmaker under investigation, told Mizuhara he could pay his gambling debts by wiring money into the account of Bowyer's associate referred to as "Associate 1" in the complaint, according to a new report from ESPN.
Boyajian is claimed to have received immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Bowyer has not been named in any indictment unsealed to date and a lawyer representing him declined to comment.
It is believed that Mizuhara began placing bets with an illegal bookmaker in September 2021 and when the losses started racking up, he exploited his access to Ohtani's financial accounts.
A breakdown of Mizuhara's transfers of Ohtani's money to the bookmaker's associates showed one $40k transfer in Nov. 2021 and another $300k transfer in Feb. 2022.
Nearly 40 transfers totaling $15 million were made from Feb. 2022 to Oct. 2023, and three transfers totaling $1.25 million from Dec. 2023 through Jan. 2024.
Insiders with knowledge of the investigation said the RHOC star was often seen gambling with Bowyer on the strip in Las Vegas.
Sources told ESPN that Mizuhara paid his losses to Boyajian, who forwarded the money to his own "marker" accounts at Resorts World and Pechanga Resort Casino in Southern California.
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Boyajian and Bowyer would then allegedly withdraw the chips from said accounts, gamble with them, and if they won, cash out, per the report.
"Because there is an active investigation and Ryan is working with the authorities, he can't confirm or deny what is going on," his criminal attorney Steven Katzman shared in a statement. "He is not a bookmaker or a sub-bookie."