High‑rolling illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer, who accepted millions of dollars in bets from the ex‑interpreter for Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani, is hoping for a home run of his own this week in his sentencing before a federal judge in Los Angeles. Bowyer pleaded guilty in August 2024 to running an illegal gambling operation, transactional money laundering, and tax evasion. Although he faces up to 18 years in prison, his defense attorney Diane Bass said at the time of the guilty plea she believed Bowyer would likely receive a sentence of 30 to 37 months. In a document filed Friday in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, Bowyer’s attorney Bass argued that her client’s contrition, lack of previous legal trouble and willingness to cooperate should make him a candidate for an even lower sentence to include time served and house arrest. She described her client as a “gambling addict” who “has faced his demons.”

“We should not measure justice by the number of calendar pages that turn,” Bass wrote. “Instead, we should look at how hard a person works to reconcile with society, make amends, and prepare to live as a law‑biding citizen.”

A married father of five, the 50‑year‑old Bowyer has let it be known he was anxious to be sentenced in order to put conviction behind him. “I was running a big operation,” he told gaming industry website iGB. “I knew the risks. I have to be a man and deal with it.”

“Most striking, is the love and support Mr. Bowyer has continued to receive throughout this process,” Bass wrote of her client’s letters of support. “He has the undying love of his family and so many friends who support him and are there for him with whatever he needs.”

Bowyer’s sentencing has been continued multiple times, months that he’s said to have spent cooperating with investigators as he’s attempted to rehabilitate his reputation online and in major sports news publications. That’s a far cry from the sentence received by former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. As part of the investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents, Bowyer’s links to interpreter Mizuhara made international headlines. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in July 2024 of embezzling approximately $17 million from Ohtani. He wagered at least $325 million with Bowyer, according to authorities. Mizuhara was sentenced to 57 months in prison. “Mr. Mizuhara had a unique position of trust that gave him power, brought him fame, and paid him well,” Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally said at the time of sentencing. “Unfortunately, he exploited this dream job to steal millions of dollars from his friend and confidant. This is a sad tale of an American success story gone wrong – so wrong that Mr. Mizuhara will be spending years inside a prison cell.”

Bowyer’s tale shapes up as the stuff of Las Vegas legend — especially if he receives the low end of the federal sentencing guidelines. He booked bets from at least 700 clients. The wide‑ranging federal investigation of illegal bookmaking comes at a time of unprecedented acceptance of sports wagering across the nation. His high‑rolling forays in Las Vegas Strip casinos resulted in federal and Nevada Gaming Control Board investigations. In March of this year, the Nevada Gaming Commission approved a $10.5 million fine against Resorts World Las Vegas to resolve a regulatory inquiry that discovered numerous violations of federal anti‑money laundering rules. Bowyer dropped $7.9 million in more than 80 visits to the resort, according to gaming authorities. One of the people Bowyer cooperated against is his trusted gambling ally Damien Leforbes, federal prosecutors acknowledged in a weekend court filing that called a 15‑month sentence for Bowyer an appropriate punishment. In the document, Leforbes is described as “the head of a large sports gambling business.” “Defendant’s cooperation was significant, timely, and credible,” the document states. Bowyer is not the only convicted illegal bookmaker to have made news in Las Vegas. Others include Wayne Nix and Leforbes. They have yet to be sentenced. Although casinos such as the MGM Grand, Cosmopolitan and Resorts World have paid hefty fines for essentially catering to the bookies, only former MGM and Resorts World executive Scott Sibella was charged with a crime. He pleaded guilty to a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act and received probation. Controversial casino high roller and casino informant Robert “RJ” Cipriani is one of few critics willing to speak up about the apparent double standard. “I can tell you this,” he said. “I’m not happy that Matt Bowyer has to be going to jail possibly when there’s 30 other bookies that were gambling at these casinos. Nothing happened to them, but more importantly there were dirty executives … and nothing happened to them at all.”

_This opinion piece was updated on 8/18/2025 at 9:15 a.m. to include details about a weekend court filing regarding Damien Leforbes._

OPINION: A big-league illegal bookie swings for the fences in sentencing leniency try

The piece discusses high‑rolling illegal bookmaker Mathew Bowyer’s upcoming sentencing in Los Angeles, where he pleaded guilty in August 2024 to illegal gambling, money laundering and tax evasion. His defense seeks a reduced term citing his cooperation and lack of prior record. The article contrasts Bowyer’s case with that of former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, who was sentenced to 57 months after embezzling $17 million from Shohei Ohtani and betting $325 million with Bowyer. It also references investigations and fines involving Las Vegas casinos, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and other bookies such as Damien Leforbes and Wayne Nix.