Shohei Ohtani, the dual-threat sensation fresh off a victorious World Series run and a sparkling National League MVP campaign, is now embroiled in a courtroom battle to recapture $325,000 worth of coveted baseball cards allegedly snatched by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara, who recently admitted to defrauding Ohtani of nearly $17 million, is at the center of this convoluted card saga.
The legal tussle escalated as Ohtani took his plea to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, urging a federal judge to grant him back the ownership of the collectibles seized from Mizuhara by authorities. The court has scheduled a crucial hearing on the matter for December 20, a date that could potentially dictate the fate of these prized possessions.
Mizuhara’s confession earlier this year shed light on a series of financial wrongdoings that ultimately ensnared Ohtani. The ex-interpreter’s admission to bank and tax fraud revealed a nefarious scheme spanning several months in 2024. Utilizing Ohtani’s funds, Mizuhara clandestinely procured various baseball cards from online platforms like eBay and Whatnot, envisioning a lucrative resale venture. Ohtani contests that these cards were bought using his monetary resources and, therefore, rightly belong in his possession.
Moreover, Ohtani disclosed to the court the discovery of “a quantity of personally signed collectible baseball cards” showcasing his likeness among Mizuhara’s stash, erroneously included in the seizure. Consequently, Ohtani pressed for the return of these specifically identified cards as an integral part of his entreaty for justice.
Court records delineate the impounded items as an assortment of collectible sports cards housed in silver and black Panopply cases, alongside similar cards stored in gray encasements. Additionally, a box containing extra collectible sports cards, a card wrapping device, and plastic card protector holders were among the confiscated articles detailed in the documentation.
The downward spiral for Mizuhara commences with his illicit access to Ohtani’s bank account, enabling the execution of a sordid financial plot at the expense of the baseball luminary. His reprehensible actions led to his ouster from the Dodgers in March after the revelation of his duplicitous activities. Originally slated for sentencing on October 25 before a rescheduling to December 20, Mizuhara’s legal fate has again been pushed back, now landing on January 24.
As the pending December 20 hearing looms, the resolution of Ohtani’s bid to reclaim the wrested sports cards hangs in the balance. This legal juncture marks another poignant chapter in the aftermath of Mizuhara’s egregious betrayal of the trust vested in him by one of baseball’s most prominent stars, Shohei Ohtani.
