Fresh off a triumphant World Series win and a National League MVP title, Shohei Ohtani is now embroiled in a legal battle to reclaim $325,000 worth of baseball cards that were fraudulently bought by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who admitted to cheating Ohtani out of almost $17 million.
In a bold move, Ohtani has filed a petition with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to take back the sports cards that were seized from Mizuhara by authorities. The court has granted a hearing on this matter, scheduled for December 20.
Mizuhara’s crimes unraveled in June when he confessed to bank and tax fraud, acknowledging the substantial sums he siphoned off from Ohtani. During the period between January and March of 2024, Mizuhara utilized Ohtani’s funds to procure baseball cards from platforms like eBay and Whatnot with the intention of reselling them at a profit. Ohtani firmly asserts that since the cards were purchased using his money, they rightfully belong to him.
In a surprising twist, Ohtani revealed to the court that a collection of personally signed collectible baseball cards showcasing his image was also discovered among Mizuhara’s possessions and mistakenly included in the seizure. Ohtani is, therefore, requesting the return of these cards as part of his petition to the court.
Court documents outline the seized items as collectible sports cards stored in silver and black Panoply cases, collectible sports cards stored in gray Panoply cases, a box containing additional collectible sports cards, a card wrapping device, and plastic card protector holders.
Mizuhara’s downfall stemmed from his unauthorized access to Ohtani’s bank account, leading to his dismissal by the Los Angeles Dodgers in March once his fraudulent activities came to light. While Mizuhara’s sentencing was initially slated for October 25 and then rescheduled to December 20, it has now been postponed once again to January 24.
The upcoming hearing on December 20 will be pivotal in determining whether Ohtani can successfully reclaim ownership of the seized sports cards. This legal proceeding marks another chapter in the aftermath of Mizuhara’s breach of trust towards one of baseball’s most prominent figures, bringing to light the complexities of a case that blends sports, finances, and personal betrayal.
