Shohei Ohtani News: Ippei Mizuhara pleads 'not guilty' as formality in betting scandal case ahead of negotiations

The ongoing illegal gambling scandal and theft involving Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara has taken yet another turn.

The 39-year-old, who has previously agreed to a plea agreement, pled not guilty before a judge during his arraignment hearing in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Although the non-guilty plea was simply a formality, it still caused quite a frenzy outside of the courtroom.

"The scene outside the federal courthouse in LA as Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara & his attorney leave Mizuhara’s arraignment hearing. Mizuhara pleaded “not guilty” today as part of court procedure but his attorney told the judge Mizuhara will be pleading guilty" - @TishaESPN

According to Tisha Thompson of ESPN, Ippei Mizuhara's attorney maintained the stance that the former Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter will be pleading guilty. The not-guilty declaration by Mizuhara sent the media outside of the courthouse into a frenzy, even though it was merely procedural.

The ongoing saga involving Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter has been one of the most discussed stories in the MLB. Mizuhara has been at the forefront of an illegal gambling investigation, one which revealed that the former translator had allegedly stolen up to $17 million from the two-time MVP to cover his debts.

It had previously been reported that Mizuhara would be pleading guilty to two separate charges related to the case. According to the Department of Justice, Mizuhara was set to plead guilty to one count of bank fraud, as well as submitting a false tax return.

Ippei Mizuhara could face up to 33 years in prison based on charges against him

It remains to be seen what will happen next in the Mizuhara trial as it continues to move along. The guilty plea that Mizuhara has agreed to could come with a sizable prison sentence.

If the former Los Angeles Dodgers interpreter receives the maximum punishment, he could get 30 years for the bank fraud charge, and up to 3 years for filing a false tax return.

"Ippei Mizuhara, interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, officially pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud Wednesday and could face more than 30 years in prison." - @BenVerlander

Tisha Thompson also reported that Mizuhara, defense attorney Michael Freedman, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Mitchell did not comment on the "non-guilty plea."

If Ippei Mizuhara does indeed plead guilty to the charges pressed against him, it could finally bring the saga to an end. This is a scandal that many parties are hoping they can soon put behind them, including both Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers.