Prosecutors Recommend 15-Month Sentence for Bookie Matt Bowyer
Federal prosecutors have advised a 15-month prison sentence for bookmaker Matt Bowyer, a significant reduction from the three years or more he initially feared. The recommendation came in a 21-page filing submitted ahead of Bowyer's Aug. 29 sentencing hearing.
Bowyer, 50, pleaded guilty last year to operating one of America's largest illegal gaming operations and had a connection to a former interpreter for MLB’s Shohei Ohtani, Ippei Mizuhara, who stole millions of dollars from his employer, which he then gambled alongside Bowyer. Bowyer admitted to various felonies, such as operating an unlawful gaming business, transactional money laundering, and false filing of a tax return.
Prosecutors had indicated that his offense level would land him a guideline range of 41 to 51 months. But they are now urging leniency on him, pointing out that he has accepted responsibility and has offered to help raise awareness of problem gambling by speaking to compulsive bettors.
His defense attorney has asked the court to give time served plus home confinement. Judge John W. Holcomb, who had sentenced Mizuhara early this year, will soon make the final decision and is not bound by prosecutorial demands.
If convicted at trial, Bowyer faces up to 18 years in federal prison. The 15-21 months recommendation, along with court records, indicates that he may have cooperated substantially with federal authorities, particularly regarding casino-related matters.
Sentencing is set to occur at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building in Santa Ana, Calif.
Mizuhara's 57-month sentence and Ohtani connection
The sentence recommendation by Bowyer follows the sentence handed to Mizuhara, who began a 57-month sentence in a federal penitentiary in June.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank fraud and making a false claim of taxes after stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account to fund a large gambling addiction. Court papers revealed he bet some $300 million and lost almost $41 million before being discovered.
At his February hearing, Mizuhara admitted to the addiction and apologized, and while he asked for leniency, Judge Holcomb sided with prosecutors in imposing the maximum sentence under the guidelines. While Mizuhara sought to serve his time in Southern California, the Federal Bureau of Prisons designated him to the Allenwood Low Federal Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania.
Mizuhara, who had worked with Ohtani since the pitcher joined MLB, was abruptly dismissed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in March 2024 when internal investigations found the theft of funds. Prosecutors later cleared Ohtani of all participation and cognizance of the scheme.
Investigators determined Mizuhara accessed Ohtani's accounts without permission to place illicit bets with Bowyer and other bookmakers. He is also linked to casino activity tied to Resorts World and MGM Resorts. As a Japanese citizen and US permanent resident, Mizuhara is expected to face deportation once he completes his sentence.
Meanwhile, Ohtani continues his career with the Dodgers, separate from the scandal.
