Shohei Ohtani, the star pitcher and outfielder who recently clinched a World Series victory and bagged the National League MVP award with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is now embroiled in a legal tussle. He’s on a mission to retrieve $325,000 worth of baseball cards that were unlawfully obtained by his former interpreter and close associate, Ippei Mizuhara. This follows Mizuhara’s heart-wrenching admission earlier this year to pilfering almost $17 million from Ohtani.
In a bid to reclaim the sports memorabilia seized from Mizuhara’s possession, Ohtani has filed a request with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The court has greenlit a hearing scheduled for December 20 to delve into this contentious issue.
The Tale of Fraud:
Mizuhara spilled the beans in June, owning up to committing bank and tax fraud by siphoning off millions from Ohtani. From January to March 2024, Mizuhara misused Ohtani’s funds to purchase baseball cards through online platforms like eBay and Whatnot, with the aim of flipping them for a profit. Ohtani is adamant that these cards were bought using his money and thus rightfully belong to him.
On top of that, Ohtani disclosed to the court that a stash of personally autographed collectible baseball cards featuring his likeness was discovered in Mizuhara’s possession and erroneously swept up in the confiscation. Ohtani is seeking to have these cards returned in addition to the others.
The Confiscated Items:
The court documents outline the seized items as follows:
– Collectible sports cards housed in silver and black Panoply cases
– Collectible sports cards stashed in gray Panoply cases
– A box containing more collectible sports cards
– A contraption for packaging cards
– Plastic protectors for the cards
The Plunge of Mizuhara:
Mizuhara’s embezzlement scheme revolved around unauthorized entry into Ohtani’s bank account. The Dodgers promptly cut ties with Mizuhara in March upon learning about his deceitful activities. Although his sentencing was initially slated for October 25 and later rescheduled to December 20, it has now been deferred once more to January 24.
What Lies Ahead:
The hearing set for December 20 will determine whether Ohtani can reclaim possession of the impounded sports cards. This legal maneuver represents another chapter in the saga stemming from Mizuhara’s breach of trust towards one of baseball’s luminaries.
