In a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood thriller but with a dash of card collecting thrown in for good measure, Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, has been thrust from behind-the-scenes to the center of a federal investigation. Mizuhara, who once stood by Ohtani translating his Japanese prose into English pitches, is now accused of playing a high-stakes financial game, allegedly embezzling upwards of $16 million not in home runs, but in cold, hard cash.
The saga unfolded when a hefty 37-page complaint landed in the federal courts, detailing charges of bank fraud against Mizuhara. One might think that catering to the needs of an MLB superstar like Ohtani would keep Mizuhara busy enough, but it seems he also had his hands full gambling and significantly diversifying Ohtani’s portfolio into, of all things, baseball cards.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, utilizing an alias “Jay Min,” Mizuhara reportedly navigated through online platforms like eBay and Whatnot to amass around 1,000 baseball cards—averaging a spend of about $325 per tiny cardboard treasure. These weren’t your run-of-the-mill bubble gum pack cards either—some packages found their way to Mizuhara, intriguingly addressed to him care of the Dodgers, adding a bit of intrigue to the deliveries.
In a twist right out of a caper film, authorities later discovered more cards in Mizuhara’s vehicle where names like Juan Soto and Yogi Berra mingled with those of Ohtani himself. It becomes almost poignant when one imagines Mizuhara, perhaps in the quiet of his car, surrounded by these cards enshrined in protective cases, each a little monument to both his passion and his impropriety.
But wait, there’s more—Mizuhara’s penchant for wagering. It appears he wasn’t just betting on long shots at the track but was also the kind of bettor who’d go for broke, racking up about 19,000 bets with a net loss of a staggering $40.7 million. Thankfully for the sanctity of the sport, none of these bets tinged the edges of Major League Baseball games.
The folly of this financial escapade began back in 2018 when Mizuhara helped a new-to-the-U.S. Ohtani, who at the time was unacquainted with the English language, to open a bank account. Here’s where the trust that comes soft on the silent feet of companionship turned into a gateway for alleged deceit. Despite never receiving authorization from Ohtani to manage his financial accounts, Mizuhara purportedly saw an opportunity to divert funds meant for Ohtani’s fastball into fast cash for himself.
Adding a layer of betrayal to this tale is the revelation by prosecutors that Mizuhara donned the cloak of deceit, impersonating Ohtani to authorize hefty wire transfers which allegedly flowed directly into the coffers of his gambling associates. As these allegations came to light, Ohtani, cooperating with federal investigations, expressed his astonishment and denial of any knowledge of the unauthorized financial pitches being thrown his way.
As the case pitches towards a climax, Mizuhara’s upcoming initial court appearance in downtown Los Angeles is much awaited. One can only imagine him, perhaps flipping through his collection of baseball cards, each a small rectangle of his crumbling empire, as he prepares to face the consequences of a high-stakes game played far from the baseball diamond.
This bizarre story melds the worlds of sports, betrayal, and collectibles into a cautionary tale about the perils of misplaced trust. It highlights not just the personal violation against Ohtani, but a betrayal of the sports community, leaving fans and followers with a sense of bewilderment at the audacity of the fraud perpetrated right under the watchful eyes of the roaring crowds.
