Ohtani's ex-interpreter to plead guilty to fraud

The erstwhile interpreter of Japanese shot prima Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead blameworthy to US charges that helium illegally transferred astir $17m (£14m) from the athlete's slope account.

In a woody betwixt Ippei Mizuhara and Los Angeles prosecutors, helium pleaded blameworthy to counts of slope fraud and subscribing to a mendacious taxation return.

Prosecutors accidental helium utilized the LA Dodgers star's wealth to wage disconnected his ain debts.

The lawsuit shocked shot fans successful Japan and America erstwhile quality broke successful March.

"The grade of this defendant's deception and theft is massive," US Attorney Martin Estrada said. "He took vantage of his presumption of spot to instrumentality vantage of Mr Ohtani and substance a unsafe gambling habit."

The slope fraud complaint is punishable by up to 30 years successful prison, and the mendacious taxation instrumentality complaint carries a condemnation of up to 3 years successful jail.

Mr Mizuhara, 39, was fired successful March arsenic quality of the allegations emerged.