Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded not guilty to bank and tax fraud on Tuesday.

The not guilty plea is a formality ahead of a deal he negotiated with federal prosecutors in the sports betting case that has him facing up to 30 years in prison. Mizuhara allegedly stole nearly $17 million from Ohtani to cover Mizuhara’s illegal gambling losses, which totaled more than $40 million.

Last week, Mizuhara agreed to plead guilty to two charges: bank fraud and subscribing to a false tax return. The first charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison, and the second could add up to three years.

Mizuhara’s plea of not guilty on Tuesday is a procedural step with the case ongoing, according to the Associated Press. He is expected to plead guilty at a later date.