Shohei Ohtani, the baseball sensation who recently clinched a World Series win and bagged the National League MVP title with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is now embroiled in a legal tussle. Ohtani has taken a bold step to petition a federal judge to regain possession of $325,000 worth of baseball cards that were deceitfully purchased by his former interpreter and confidant, Ippei Mizuhara. This move comes on the heels of Mizuhara’s guilty plea earlier this year, admitting to defrauding Ohtani of a staggering sum close to $17 million.
The petition, filed by Ohtani with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeks to establish Ohtani’s rightful ownership of the sports cards confiscated from Mizuhara by authorities. To address this pressing matter, a hearing has been scheduled for December 20, wherein Ohtani’s plea will be reviewed.
Delving into the depths of the fraud orchestrated by Mizuhara, it was disclosed that between January and March of 2024, Mizuhara engaged in bank and tax fraud schemes that siphoned off significant amounts from Ohtani’s accounts. Utilizing these ill-gotten funds, Mizuhara procured baseball cards through online platforms like eBay and Whatnot, with the intention of flipping them for a profit. Ohtani firmly asserts that the baseball cards were procured using his finances, thus firmly entitling him to reclaim ownership.
Further complicating the situation, Ohtani brought to light that a selection of personally autographed collectible baseball cards featuring his image was discovered in Mizuhara’s possession and erroneously seized along with the other items. Consequently, Ohtani has included in his petition the demand for the return of these misappropriated cards.
The array of items seized from Mizuhara, as outlined in the court documents, includes collectible sports cards housed in silver and black Panoply cases, as well as in gray Panoply cases. Additionally, a box containing further collectible sports cards, a card wrapping device, and plastic card protector holders were part of the confiscated items.
Mizuhara’s misdeeds unfolded by gaining unauthorized access to Ohtani’s bank account, leading to a massive breach of trust. The Dodgers promptly severed ties with Mizuhara following the exposure of his fraudulent activities. Initially slated for sentencing on October 25, the hearing was subsequently rescheduled to December 20 before receiving another postponement until January 24.
Looking ahead, the December 20 hearing will serve as the pivotal moment to decide whether Ohtani can reclaim ownership of the seized sports cards. This legal maneuver represents a significant juncture in the aftermath of Mizuhara’s betrayal of the faith Ohtani had placed in him, unraveling a saga of deceit involving one of baseball’s standout figures.
