Matt Bowyer, the California illegal bookmaker who allegedly took millions in bets of stolen money from former MLB translator Ippie Mizuhara, reportedly spent millions of his own illicit gains at Sin City casinos, including Resorts World Las Vegas (pictured).
Mizuhara is accused of stealing $16 million from Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Much of that he allegedly spent on paying back Bowyer, who had given him a $40 million line of credit to gamble with.
As well as allegedly using several Las Vegas casinos to launder money from his bookmaking operations, Bowyer was also a frequent (and losing) high stakes gambler with the profits.
Resorts World has also recently been in trouble with authorities over its business dealings with another convicted illegal California bookmaker, Wayne Nix.
This latest news will only add pressure on Resorts World’s former president Scott Sibella, who was fired in late 2023 for failing to report Nix’s suspicious transactions.
Bowyer’s Bets
Between mid 2022 and late 2023, Bowyer visited Las Vegas at least once a month, according to a new report from ESPN. Each time, he would reportedly bring $250,000 to $1 million to gamble with. In addition to Resorts World, he would also visit the MGM Grand, The Palazzo, the Venetian, and the Cosmopolitan.
During this period, he reportedly lost some $7.9 million at the tables, although he was heavily comped by several operators, mostly by Resorts World. Other reports suggest that Bowyer’s wife, Nicole, was given a VIP casino host role at Resorts World based on his personal request as a high roller.
Bowyer’s high stakes jaunts to Las Vegas casinos all stopped in October 2023, when his California residence was raided by federal investigators.
As well as various Sin City casinos, tribal operation Pechanga Casino Resort in California was also used to launder money, according to the report from ESPN.
The Investigations
The Nevada Gaming Control Board recently joined in the investigation into the various illegal bookies that may have been laundering money at Silver State casinos.
The probe spans several federal authorities, including the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In 2015, Bowyer took out a $1.5 million credit line with Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, which he never paid back. As of last year, the casino’s tribal owners, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, are still trying to get the money back through the legal system.
Bowyer has not been indicted on any federal charges as of yet. Meanwhile, Mizuhara has been charged with federal bank fraud for allegedly stealing from Ohtani to fund his sports betting with Bowyer.
Mizuhara has been released on $25,000 bail and is due to appear in court in the coming weeks. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
