According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mathew R. Bowyer, a 50-year-old man from San Juan Capistrano, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,613,280. From 2018 to late 2023, Bowyer ran an unlicensed sports-betting network across Southern California, Las Vegas, and even Costa Rica.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mathew R. Bowyer, a 50-year-old man from San Juan Capistrano, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,613,280.
From 2018 to late 2023, Bowyer ran an unlicensed sports-betting network across Southern California, Las Vegas, and even Costa Rica. He received bets from more than 700 clients, including professional athletes and Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for MLB star Shohei Ohtani.
Mizuhara placed more than 19,000 bets, losing nearly $41 million in net wagers and wiring more than $16 million into Bowyer-controlled accounts. Bowyer’s operation used a Costa Rica-based website and a call centre, and he even paid agents using casino chips.
On August 29, 2025, U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb made the final ruling. The court cited Bowyer’s multi-year criminal enterprise, the exploitation of vulnerable bettors, and the serious tax violations.
Back in August 2024, Bowyer was found guilty of running an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and filing a false tax return, activities from the past, such as one from 2022, when more than $1.6 million was not paid.
Bowyer is scheduled to report to prison on October 10, 2025.