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Mathew Bowyer, 49, of San Juan Capistrano faces a most sentence of 18 years in federal jail on costs of working an unlawful playing enterprise, cash laundering and submitting a false tax return. Bowyer, who additionally took bets from present and former skilled athletes, is anticipated to plead responsible Aug. 9 in federal court docket.
For at the least 5 years, Bowyer operated an unlawful playing enterprise that at occasions had greater than 700 bettors earlier than it shut down in October, based on the plea settlement.
Among his shoppers was Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who admittedly stole practically $17 million from Ohtani’s checking account to pay down greater than $40 million in playing losses to Bowyer. Prosecutors say Mizuhara positioned 19,000 bets with Bowyer’s operation, which regularly would enhance his betting limits.
Mizuhari, who was Ohtani’s translator principally whereas the famous person was with the Los Angeles Angels, pleaded responsible to at least one depend of financial institution fraud and one depend of submitting a false tax return and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 25.
Bowyer transferred at the least $9.3 million of the cash he acquired from Mizuhara to a on line casino to repay markers for himself and his associates, prosecutors stated.
Bowyer’s different shoppers included a present member of a Southern California baseball workforce, recognized by prosecutors as “Individual B,” and a former minor league baseball participant recognized as “Individual C.”
Prosecutors stated Bowyer employed brokers and sub-agents, together with on line casino hosts, and operated out of places in Las Vegas in addition to Orange and Los Angeles counties. The staff have been paid from the gamblers’ losses.
Bowyer used Costa Rica-based web sites and a name heart the place brokers and prospects might place and observe bets. Prosecutors stated Bowyer generally operated the bookmaking enterprise whereas playing at a on line casino, paying his brokers in on line casino chips.
In his plea settlement, Bowyer admitted to falsifying his 2022 federal tax returns, reporting $607,897 in revenue however failing to report one other $4 million from the unlawful playing enterprise. More than $3.8 million of that cash was within the type of wire transfers to certainly one of his financial institution accounts, which he didn’t declare, prosecutors stated.
Bowyer will face a most sentence of 10 years in federal jail on the cash laundering depend, as much as 5 years for working an illegal playing enterprise and as much as three years for submitting a false tax return depend, based on prosecutors.
Bowyer has agreed to forfeit $257,923 in addition to $14,830 in on line casino chips seized by legislation enforcement in October 2023. He additionally has agreed to completely cooperate in an ongoing federal investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security.
This is a growing story. Please verify again for updates.
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