Millions on bets and a drop in confidence: the arrest of Matthew Bower and the drama around Ohtani

The Japanese star and his confidant

One of the strongest baseball players of our time, Shohei Ohtani, plays in the United States. His right-hand man and personal translator, Ippei Mizuhara, has been by his side since 2018. At first, everything looked perfect: trust, work chemistry and stability. But since 2021, the situation has begun to collapse. It was then that Mizuhara found himself at a poker party in the American countryside and met the man who changed his life - illegal bookmaker Matthew Bower.

Who is Bower

Matthew Bower is not just a "darker". It has built a whole network of illegal betting with more than 700 customers, its own lines, payment schemes, and even a website registered in Costa Rica. The main difference from legal bookmakers was that Bower allowed betting on credit, a practice that always leads to disaster.

How it all spun

After meeting Bower, Mizuhara seemed to be unleashed. In four years, he made 19 thousand bets. The result turned out to be sad: the winnings amounted to about $140 million, but the losses exceeded $180 million.

Ohtani, who trusted Mizuhara without looking back, soon noticed that his funds were going somewhere. After the investigation, it became clear that the translator was addicted to illegal gambling and got bogged down in debt. He was detained and sentenced to five years in prison.

How Bower was caught

During interrogations, Mizuhara fully revealed Bower's scheme. The investigation learned about proxy agents who attracted new players in circumvention of the law, and about casino hosts who helped maintain ties with offshore bookmakers.

In August 2024, Bower himself confessed to illegal activities and began to cooperate with the investigation. His repentance was appreciated: in September 2025, he received only a year in prison and a fine of $1.6 million, which he paid almost immediately.

Summary of the story

- Shohei Ohtani lost about $40 million and suffered a serious blow in terms of trust in the environment.- Ippei Mizuhara will spend 5 years behind bars and may rethink what "responsible gaming" means.- Matthew Bower will serve a year and, most likely, return to his old life - after all, such connections and experience are not lost.