The former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani was sentenced Thursday to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers star.

Ippei Mizuhara received his sentence on Thursday as the sports betting industry continues to digest a bevy of gambling scandals across North America.

Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison and three years' supervised release for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account.

The former interpreter of Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, is set to serve 57 months in prison on top of paying $17 million in restitution.

Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s former longtime interpreter and confidant, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison.

The former interpreter to Shohei Ohtani, who admitted stealing almost $30 million (US$17m) from the Japanese baseball star to pay off illegal gambling debts, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on Thursday.

Ippei Mizuhara, who became a national figure for his on-field service and off-field friendship to Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for stealing millions from the Japanese phenom.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani is set to be sentenced for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account.

Baseball star for the LA Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, has seen his interpreter sentenced to prison after draining the athelete's bank account.

Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, was sentenced to 57 months in jail for stealing $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar in order to fund his gambling habit and repay debts incurred from losing bets. ( More Sports News)

Ippei Mizuhara will serve more than four years in federal prison for posing as the superstar Dodger to steal money from his bank accounts to pay gambling debts