The biggest baseball drama in recent years is getting the full Tinseltown treatment.
The betting scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani's interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who is alleged to have stolen nearly $17 million from the Dodgers star, will be turned into a TV series, according to various reports.
Mizuhara will reportedly be pleading guilty to federal charges for felony bank fraud and submitting a false tax return — charges that could lead to 33 years in federal prison. His sentencing date is scheduled for Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. ET.
NEWS: Ippei Mizuhara, Shohei Ohtani’s former and longtime interpreter, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud charges during a change-of-plea hearing in federal court this morning.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) June 4, 2024
Total maximum sentence: 33 years.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 25 at 2 pm PT.
He is alleged to have stolen the money in an attempt to cover gambling debts that reportedly exceeded $40 million.
The charges for bank fraud stem from his impersonation of Ohtani, which led to Mizuhara changing Ohtani's account information to send money to his account. He also allegedly kept his winnings and losses a secret from the government.
The massive gambling controversy came not long after Ohtani inked a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, setting the record for the largest contract in North American sports history.
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming TV series.
MORE: Everything to know about Mizuhara pleading guilty
Shohei Ohtani interpreter show
The show about Ohtani is lined up to be produced by Lionsgate, according to Deadline. The producers will be Scott Delman and Albert Chen.
Though much of the show will focus on the betting scandal surrounding Mizuhara, there will also be attention given to Ohtani's path to becoming baseball's biggest star and his massive contract signed with Los Angeles.
"This is major league baseball’s biggest sports gambling scandal since Pete Rose — and at its center is its biggest star, one that MLB has hitched its wagon on. We’ll get to the heart of the story — a story of trust, betrayal, and the trappings of wealth and fame," Chen said, per Deadline.
Delman has previously adapted the TV series Station 11 and was a producer for other shows on Broadway. Chen wrote the book, "Billion Dollar Fantasy," and was a senior editor at Sports Illustrated. Chen was also an MLB Network contributor.
As of yet, there is still no title for the show, and no cast has been announced for anyone involved in the show.
