Shohei Ohtani, the superstar athlete fresh off a World Series win and a National League MVP season, is now embroiled in a legal battle to recover $325,000 worth of valuable baseball cards. These cards were fraudulently purchased by his former interpreter and close confidant, Ippei Mizuhara, who recently pleaded guilty to defrauding Ohtani of almost $17 million.
In a recent development, Ohtani has taken his case to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, where he is seeking ownership of the seized sports cards that were taken from Mizuhara by authorities. A hearing has been scheduled for December 20 to address this matter.
The backdrop of this dispute lies in Mizuhara’s admission in June to committing bank and tax fraud. During the first few months of 2024, Mizuhara misappropriated funds from Ohtani’s accounts to buy baseball cards from platforms like eBay and Whatnot with the aim of reselling them for a profit. Ohtani firmly maintains that these cards were bought with his money and, therefore, rightfully belong to him.
To add weight to his claims, Ohtani has informed the court that a collection of autographed baseball cards featuring his likeness were among Mizuhara’s belongings and were incorrectly seized. As such, Ohtani is including their return in his petition to the court.
The court documents outline the seized items as collectible sports cards stored in various cases, a box filled with more collectible sports cards, a device to wrap cards, and plastic card protector holders. These items are integral to Ohtani’s case as he aims to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his.
Mizuhara’s downfall came about due to his illicit access to Ohtani’s banking information. The Los Angeles Dodgers terminated Mizuhara’s employment in March upon discovering his fraudulent activities. Originally scheduled for sentencing on October 25, then moved to December 20, the date has been pushed back once more to January 24.
Looking ahead, the hearing on December 20 will play a pivotal role in determining whether Ohtani can regain possession of the confiscated sports cards from Mizuhara. This legal maneuver serves as another milestone in the aftermath of Mizuhara’s breach of trust with one of baseball’s most prominent figures, Shohei Ohtani.
