California Bookie Tied to Ohtani’s Interpreter Receives Minimal Prison Time
The bookmaker linked to one of MLB's most high-profile betting scandals received a relatively light prison sentence on Friday. Mathew Bowyer, 50, was ordered to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to operating an illegal betting enterprise, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. He was also directed to pay $1.6 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, a sum that his attorney confirmed has already been repaid.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Bowyer expressed remorse during his sentencing hearing, acknowledging his history of poor decisions and describing his long struggle with gambling addiction. His case drew wide attention because of its connection to Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Related: More Details Emerge about Extent of Illegal California Bookie's OperationsProsecutors said Mizuhara placed thousands of bets with Bowyer's illegal operation while also embezzling nearly $17 million from Ohtani's accounts, crimes for which Mizuhara was sentenced earlier this year to five years in prison on bank and tax fraud charges.
Federal prosecutors sought a 15-month sentence for Bowyer, arguing that his betting enterprise spanned at least five years, handled hundreds of millions of dollars in wagers, and generated thousands of dollars in daily profit. Bowyer's defense team countered that his extensive cooperation with federal authorities, early restitution payments, and outreach to others struggling with addiction warranted leniency.
Bowyer himself had requested to avoid prison altogether, citing his efforts to help investigators dismantle larger illegal betting operations.
US District Judge John W. Holcomb acknowledged Bowyer's cooperation and community support, noting that more than a dozen friends and family members appeared in court on his behalf. However, the judge stressed that some prison time was necessary given the seriousness of the tax fraud. Holcomb stated that despite the significant mitigation, criminal actions must still carry consequences.
Assistant US Attorney Kristen Williams emphasized that Bowyer's operation harmed not only the government but also his customers, many of whom were problem gamblers. She argued that Bowyer lived an extravagant lifestyle while running the scheme and said the case should not be seen solely as a personal struggle with addiction.
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The sentence imposed was less than the three years recommended by probation officials, a reduction that Bowyer's attorney Diane Bass attributed to his cooperation and proactive acceptance of responsibility. Bass highlighted that Bowyer paid restitution before it was legally required and took visible steps to acknowledge his wrongdoing publicly.
Authorities said Bowyer ran an extensive illegal bookmaking business in Southern California and Las Vegas that serviced more than 700 bettors, including Mizuhara. Records showed that Mizuhara's betting produced $142 million in winnings, deposited into his own accounts, and $183 million in losses, resulting in a net deficit of about $41 million. Prosecutors credited Bowyer with assisting in the successful prosecution of Mizuhara and other high-level betting operators.
Bowyer told the court he regretted that Ohtani's name had been pulled into the scandal, stressing that the player was entirely uninvolved and a victim of Mizuhara's actions. Federal investigators and Major League Baseball officials have also consistently stated that Ohtani was not connected to the betting activity beyond being defrauded by his interpreter.
Bowyer is scheduled to report to prison on October 10 and will serve two years of supervised release after completing his sentence. Sports wagering remains illegal in California, despite legalization in most other states and the District of Columbia. Prosecutors noted that Bowyer's crimes underscore the risks of unregulated betting markets, which have been at the center of multiple recent scandals in professional sports.
The fallout from the case has extended beyond Bowyer's sentencing. In Nevada, gaming regulators fined Resorts World Casino in Las Vegas $10.5 million after an investigation revealed the venue had accepted patrons with known ties to illegal bookmaking, including Bowyer.
The fine was the second-largest ever issued by the state's gaming commission. The episode adds to a growing list of betting controversies confronting professional sports, with MLB continuing to enforce strict prohibitions on player betting to safeguard the integrity of the game.
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