An Orange County man, Mathew R. Bowyer from San Juan Capistrano, has agreed to a plea deal with federal authorities on charges related to operating an illegal sports betting enterprise and tax evasion. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Bowyer's guilty plea encompasses a triad of charges: conducting an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and submitting a false income tax return.
Bowyer's clientele is reported to have included both current and former athletes, and also Ippei Mizuhara—a former Japanese-language interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani—who himself is facing imprisonment after confessing to fraud and tax offenses. According to the plea agreement, running for five years until its cessation in October 2023, Bowyer's business attracted over 700 bettors, despite California laws barring such activities, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
The man, 49, is expected to formally enter his plea on August 9. He has admitted to operating this clandestine betting ring out of several locales including Las Vegas in Orange and Los Angeles counties. In the arrangement with federal prosecutors, Bowyer also concedes to incorrectly reporting his taxable income in 2022, substantially downplaying his earnings by millions.
Additional tax liabilities for Bowyer amount to a sum of $1.6 million, underscored without even considering prospective interest and penalties due to his understated income claim. If convicted on all counts, he could face a maximum of 18 years in federal prison, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
