Mathew Bowyer, a bookmaker from San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is facing a prison sentence of between 30 to 37 months following his guilty pleas to gambling-related charges on Friday, his attorney confirmed. Bowyer, 49, admitted to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing to a false tax return. His sentencing is scheduled for February 7 at a federal court in Santa Ana, Calif.
In a courtroom admission, Bowyer confessed, “I was running an illegal gambling operation, laundering money through other people’s bank accounts.” His lawyer, Diane Bass, noted that Bowyer is “very relieved to finally be able to accept responsibility for his conduct.”
“He is looking forward to his sentence so that he can put this chapter behind him and so he and his family can get on with their lives,” Bass told reporters.
Under the expected plea deal, Bowyer will forfeit $257,923 in cash and $14,830 in casino chips. In his 2022 tax return, Bowyer reported an income of $607,897, while prosecutors revealed his unreported income amounted to $4,030,938.
Bowyer’s illegal gambling operation, which ran from 2018 to 2023, catered to more than 700 clients and was based in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Orange County, Calif. The operation also utilized Costa Rican-based websites. According to reports, Bowyer often gambled at casinos and paid agents with casino chips. He reportedly transferred or directed the transfer of at least $9.3 million to Resorts World Las Vegas and lost at least $4 million at the gaming property, ESPN reported.
Among Bowyer’s clientele were professional athletes and Ippei Mizuhara, the translator for MLB Los Angeles Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani. Mizuhara stole approximately $17 million from Ohtani to settle his substantial gambling debts. Mizuhara pleaded guilty on June 4 to bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25.
Between 2021 and 2024, Mizuhara placed at least 19,000 bets with Bowyer’s gambling operation, with winning bets totaling about $142,256,769 and losing bets amounting to about $182,935,206. Ohtani was a victim in the crime and faces no charges.
Resorts World Las Vegas is cooperating with investigators in the case. “We are aware of the press release from the DOJ about Mathew R. Bowyer pleading guilty to federal charges,” a Resorts World Las Vegas spokesperson told ESPN. “We are cooperating with their ongoing investigation, and we do not comment on pending legal matters.”
As Bowyer awaits his sentencing, the ramifications of his actions continue to unfold, shedding light on the extensive network of his illegal gambling operation and its far-reaching consequences.