Shohei Ohtani, the star athlete who triumphed at the World Series and snagged the National League MVP award playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has taken a bold step towards justice. In light of a scandal where his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, confessed to defrauding Ohtani of a whopping $17 million, Ohtani is now seeking restitution. The sought-after recovery? A hefty $325,000 worth of precious baseball cards, wrongfully purchased by Mizuhara.
Turning to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Ohtani made his move by filing a petition on Tuesday, as he seeks to regain ownership of the seized sports cards previously in Mizuhara’s possession. The federal court granted a hearing on the matter, scheduled for December 20, where Ohtani’s plea for justice will unfold.
The backstory to this high-stakes saga is rooted in Mizuhara’s admission of guilt earlier this year. In June, Mizuhara came clean about committing bank and tax fraud, pulling off a grand deception against Ohtani. From January to March 2024, Mizuhara shamelessly dipped into Ohtani’s funds, slyly splurging on baseball cards through platforms like eBay and Whatnot, all while scheming to turn a profit. With the cards purchased using Ohtani’s hard-earned cash, the rightful owner is adamant about reclaiming what is rightfully his.
Adding a layer of complexity to the case, Ohtani revealed to the court the discovery of “a quantity of personally signed collectible baseball cards” with his image, among the items seized from Mizuhara. Despite it being a painful reminder of betrayal, Ohtani is resolute about recovering these personal treasures as well, stressing their significance in his petition for justice.
The detailed inventory of the seized items paints a picture of the valuable collection at stake: collectible sports cards housed in silver and black Panopply cases, more in gray Panopply cases, along with additional cards found stashed in a box. A card wrapping device and plastic card protector holders were also part of the haul taken from Mizuhara.
Mizuhara’s treacherous downfall was set in motion by his unauthorized access to Ohtani’s bank account, an act of betrayal that led to Mizuhara’s unceremonious dismissal by the Dodgers in March. Initially slated for sentencing on October 25, then rescheduled for December 20, the legal proceedings have faced yet another delay, now pushed to January 24.
Looking towards the horizon, the upcoming December 20 hearing stands as a pivotal moment in Ohtani’s pursuit to reclaim what was taken from him. This legal battle symbolizes another chapter in the turbulent aftermath of Mizuhara’s breach of trust with one of baseball’s brightest luminaries.
