Bookie Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gambling

Mathew Bowyer, a 49-year-old bookmaker from Southern California, has pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. Bowyer, who handled thousands of bets, including those from Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, will be sentenced on February 7, 2025. Mizuhara, who embezzled nearly $17 million from Ohtani, placed around 19,000 bets and faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud and three years for tax fraud. Investigators found no evidence that Ohtani was involved in Mizuhara's gambling activities, and he is considered a victim. The case highlights the ongoing legal challenges surrounding unlicensed betting and sports gambling regulations in California.