Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is demanding that his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, return $325,000 worth of baseball cards that Ohtani claims were purchased fraudulently with his money.
Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Ohtani will recover the baseball cards fraudulently purchased by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara, set to be sentenced on January 24, will face an order recognizing Ohtani’s claim to the property.
Shohei Ohtani’s request against Ippei Mizuhara
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Ohtani filed a request with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California last week to reclaim baseball cards seized from his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Prosecutors have since stated that the hearing, originally set for December 20, is no longer required.
Per Sam Blum of The Athletic, the government will seek an order on January 24, when Mizuhara is sentenced, to assert Ohtani’s superior claim to the property. Mizuhara bought the cards online between January and March 2024, intending to resell them. The cards featured images of Ohtani, Yogi Berra, and Juan Soto.
“Ohtani holds a valid pre-existing interest in Forfeitable Property as title to the Forfeitable Property was vested in Ohtani at the time of the commission of the acts which give rise to the forfeiture,” according to the filing.
Long list of Mizuhara’s criminal offenses
In June, Mizuhara admitted to bank and tax fraud, confessing to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s accounts to cover sports betting debts. He was dismissed by the Dodgers in March and federally indicted in April.
Ippei Mizuhara also misused a $60,000 check Ohtani provided for dental work, cashing it for himself while using Ohtani’s debit card to cover the procedure, according to a May plea agreement. According to Blum, Mizuhara may be ordered to repay Ohtani as restitution.
Mizuhara’s attorney declined to comment on Friday. Reports of Mizuhara’s connection to sports betting surfaced in late March, coinciding with the Dodgers’ 2024 season opener in Seoul.Ohtani has consistently denied any involvement in sports betting, and no law enforcement agency has linked him to such activities.
If the Mizuhara controversy caused any distraction, it was short-lived. Ohtani, the $700 million star captured the National League MVP award and led the Dodgers against the New York Yankees to their first full-season World Series championship since 1988.
Before Mizuhara got discovered
Mizuhara was a key figure during many of Ohtani’s career milestones, from catching for him during the 2021 Home Run Derby to witnessing his two American League MVP wins and his groundbreaking $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Beyond the field, Mizuhara developed a close friendship with Ohtani, becoming a trusted confidant. During the 2021 MLB lockout, he notably resigned from his position with the Los Angeles Angels to maintain communication with Ohtani, only to be rehired once the lockout ended. Their families were also reportedly close, with their wives often spending time together socially.
However, Mizuhara squandered it all, gambling tens of millions of dollars he didn’t own on international soccer, the NBA, the NFL, and college football. Prosecutors clarified that he never placed bets on baseball.
