Mathew Bowyer is expected to enter a plea Aug. 9 to charges of operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return.
The Orange County bookmaker who took millions in sports bets from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges, federal prosecutors announced Thursday, Aug. 1.
Mathew Bowyer, 49, of San Juan Capistrano faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in federal prison on charges of operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. Bowyer, who also took bets from current and former professional athletes, is expected to plead guilty Aug. 9 in federal court.
For at least five years, Bowyer operated an illegal gambling business that at times had more than 700 bettors before it shut down in October, according to the plea agreement.
Among his clients was Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who admittedly stole nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account to pay down more than $40 million in gambling losses to Bowyer.
