[Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Sues Former Interpreter Over Fraudulent Spending of $325,000 Worth of Baseball Cards
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani is taking legal action against his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who was found guilty of bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete. According to court documents, Mizuhara accessed Ohtani’s bank account, changing security protocols to impersonate him and authorize wire transfers. He then used the stolen funds to buy $325,000 worth of baseball cards at online resellers eBay and Whatnot.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to using Ohtani’s money to cover his own gambling debts, medical bills, and the cost of the baseball cards. He is due to be sentenced in January and faces a potential sentence of over 30 years in federal prison. Ohtani is also seeking restitution of nearly $17 million and over $1 million to the IRS. Mizuhara is also at risk of being deported to Japan, where he is a legal permanent resident with a green card.
Mizuhara was more than just Ohtani’s interpreter, he was also a friend and confidant, serving as Ohtani’s catcher during the 2021 All-Star Game and being present for Ohtani’s career highlights, including his two American League MVP awards and record-breaking $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, his friendship with Ohtani was based on a lie, as he gambled away tens of millions of dollars on sports events, including international soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and college football, even though he never bet on baseball.
Despite his wins, Ohtani’s team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, won the World Series earlier this year, and Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award.
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