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Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Seeks Return of Baseball Cards Worth Hundreds of Thousands
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani is taking action against his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from the unsuspecting athlete. According to court documents filed Tuesday, Ohtani is seeking the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards that were fraudulently bought using his money.
Mizuhara, who previously served as Ohtani’s catcher and close friend, is accused of accessing Ohtani’s bank account and changing his security protocols to authorize wire transfers. He then used Ohtani’s money to buy $325,000 worth of baseball cards on online resellers eBay and Whatnot between 2021 and 2024.
Mizuhara’s attorney, Michael G. Freedman, declined to comment on the filing. Mizuhara is due to be sentenced in January for his crimes, which carry a potential sentence of more than 30 years in federal prison. He may also be deported to Japan.
The legal action is the latest development in a case that has left many in the baseball world stunned. Ohtani and Mizuhara were close friends, and Mizuhara served as Ohtani’s catcher during his career highlights, including the 2021 All-Star Game and his two American League MVP wins.
Despite their close relationship, Mizuhara’s secrets were discovered when it was revealed that he had gambled tens of millions of dollars that weren’t his to wager on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and college football. Prosecutors said he never bet on baseball.
Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers recently won the World Series, and Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award.
