In an unfolding saga that seems ripped straight from a dramatic sports thriller, Ippei Mizuhara, the interpreter and right-hand man to Major League Baseball phenomenon Shohei Ohtani, finds himself at the center of a federal investigation. The allegations? Pilfering more than $16 million from Ohtani’s treasure trove ostensibly to satiate Mizuhara’s own gambling debts and to amass a collection of pricey baseball memorabilia.
Mizuhara, who has been a linchpin in Ohtani’s adaptation to the MLB since 2018, managed the day-to-day affairs of the Japanese baseball superstar who took both the pitching mounds and batting cages of America by storm. Federal prosecutors have laid out a compelling 37-page complaint accusing Mizuhara of bank fraud, detailing how he supposedly spiraled down into a vortex of gambling while dragging Ohtani’s funds along for the ride.
The complaint paints a picture of Mizuhara not just as a gambler, but as a collector turned hoarder of baseball cards, purchasing roughly 1,000 from various online havens such as eBay and Whatnot under the pseudonym “Jay Min.” With each card costing about $325 on average—and the transactions spanning from January of the current year to the previous month—this side hustle was no minor league operation. Some shipments of these cards were even directed to Mizuhara care of the Dodgers, a detail that adds a touch of irony, given the protective embrace he was supposed to offer Ohtani.
Upon delving deeper into Mizuhara’s mobile treasure trove, investigators discovered more cards in his vehicle, with illustrious names like Juan Soto and Yogi Berra lining up next to Ohtani himself. These weren’t just loose pieces of cardboard; they were encased, pampered in protective casings, ready for showtime—or more likely, a sale.
The bender doesn’t stop at collectibles. Mizuhara apparently had a penchant for betting, having placed about 19,000 bets totaling up to a staggering net loss of $40.7 million from late 2021 until early this year. It’s crucial to note that these wagers were not placed on Major League Baseball games, a small mercy in this convoluted narrative.
The trust Shohei Ohtani placed in Mizuhara began upon his arrival in the U.S., a time when linguistic barriers and financial naiveté could have made him particularly vulnerable. The gripping irony here is that Ohtani never granted Mizuhara official guardianship over his financial reservoirs. Yet according to federal allegations, it appears Mizuhara played his role with a gambler’s guile, skimming from Ohtani’s accounts to back his own high stakes.
Reacting to these accusations, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada didn’t mince words, laying bare the sheer scale and audacity of the alleged fraud. Mizuhara even went as far as impersonating Ohtani to authorize substantial wire transfers to boost his gambling escapades, a move that showcases brazen deceit, given Ohtani’s cooperation with law enforcement and his denial of any knowledge or consent concerning these backdoor dealings.
Mizuhara is now poised to face the music at his initial court appearance in downtown Los Angeles. This case, while deeply personal, throws spotlight on the vulnerabilities athletes face in their personal and financial dealings, especially when cultural and language barriers are thrown into the mix. As the legal curtain rises, the broader implications for the handling of international sports figures and their finances will also be under scrutiny, making this not just a tale of betrayal, but a warning bell for the sports industry at large.
