Shohei Ohtani, the celebrated pitcher-outfielder who recently clinched a World Series win and was honored as the National League MVP while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is now engaged in a legal battle to retrieve $325,000 worth of baseball cards that were illicitly bought by his ex-interpreter and close associate, Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara, who was found guilty earlier this year of swindling Ohtani out of almost $17 million, purchased the cards using Ohtani’s funds without authorization.
In a bold move, Ohtani has lodged a formal plea with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to assert his ownership rights over the sports cards that were confiscated from Mizuhara by law enforcement. A crucial hearing on this matter has been scheduled for December 20, where the drama is expected to unfold.
The backstory behind this fraudulent scheme reveals Mizuhara’s admission to committing bank and tax scams, resulting in his illicit enrichment at Ohtani’s expense. During the period between January and March 2024, Mizuhara misappropriated money from Ohtani’s account to procure baseball cards from online marketplaces like eBay and Whatnot, with the intention of turning a profit on their resale. Ohtani has emphatically claimed that the cards were purchased using his finances and therefore rightfully belong to him.
In a surprising twist, Ohtani disclosed to the court that a collection of personally autographed baseball cards bearing his likeness was also discovered among Mizuhara’s possessions and erroneously swept up in the confiscation. Ohtani is now seeking the return of these signature cards as part of his legal petition, further adding intrigue and complexity to the case.
The inventory of the impounded items includes a variety of collectible sports cards stashed in 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 seized as part of the investigation into Mizuhara’s activities, painting a vivid picture of the high-stakes drama.
Mizuhara’s unscrupulous machinations involved breaching Ohtani’s bank account without permission, prompting the Dodgers to sever ties with him in March once the extent of his wrongdoing came to light. While Mizuhara was initially slated for sentencing on October 25, with a subsequent postponement to December 20, the latest update indicates a further delay to January 24, extending the legal proceedings.
The upcoming hearing on December 20 stands as a pivotal moment in determining whether Ohtani will be able to reclaim ownership of the confiscated sports cards, setting the stage for the next phase of this high-profile saga arising from Mizuhara’s betrayal of the trust Ohtani had placed in him as a valued member of his inner circle.
