Shohei Ohtani, the accomplished baseball star who recently celebrated a World Series triumph and an MVP season, is now embroiled in a legal battle to retrieve baseball cards worth $325,000 that were unlawfully obtained by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara, who admitted guilt in defrauding Ohtani of almost $17 million, faces further repercussions as Ohtani pursues the return of his prized possessions.
In a recent development, Ohtani made a formal plea to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California this week, seeking ownership of the valuable sports cards confiscated from Mizuhara by authorities. A crucial hearing has been scheduled for December 20 to address this request and unravel the complexities surrounding the case.
The backdrop to this saga reveals Mizuhara’s wrongdoings, as he confessed in June to engaging in bank and tax fraud schemes that siphoned off significant sums from Ohtani. Over a span of just a few months in early 2024, Mizuhara utilized Ohtani’s financial resources to make various baseball card purchases through online platforms, with the aim of profiting from resale. Ohtani firmly maintains that these cards were bought using his funds, and thus rightfully belong in his possession.
Furthermore, Ohtani disclosed to the court the discovery of “a quantity of personally signed collectible baseball cards” bearing his likeness among Mizuhara’s possessions, erroneously seized along with the other items. As part of his petition, Ohtani is requesting the return of these specific cards, in addition to the broader collection that was confiscated.
The detailed inventory of the confiscated items comprises collectible sports cards stored in distinctive silver and black Panopply cases, as well as in gray Panopply cases. Additionally, a box containing more collectible sports cards, a card wrapping device, and plastic card protector holders were among the items seized by authorities during the investigation.
Mizuhara’s downfall stemmed from illicitly accessing Ohtani’s bank account to carry out the fraudulent activities. The Dodgers, Ohtani’s team, swiftly terminated Mizuhara’s employment when his deceit came to light in March. Initially scheduled for sentencing on October 25, the court proceedings were postponed to December 20 before being rescheduled once again to January 24, elongating the period of uncertainty for all parties involved.
Looking ahead, the upcoming hearing on December 20 holds significance in determining whether Ohtani will successfully reclaim ownership of the baseball cards that have become entangled in the aftermath of Mizuhara’s betrayal. This legal proceeding represents a crucial juncture in the ongoing repercussions of Mizuhara’s breach of the trust bestowed upon him by one of baseball’s brightest stars, Shohei Ohtani.
