Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers star, is currently in court to reclaim ownership of $325,000 worth of baseball cards that he claims were purchased by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, using Ohtani’s money. This comes after Mizuhara pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani earlier this year. The baseball cards were purchased online between January and March and seized by authorities as part of their investigation into Mizuhara. Ohtani is set to appear in court on December 20 to argue that he should be the rightful owner of the cards, as they were bought with his funds.
The items seized by authorities include various collectible sports cards hidden in briefcases and boxes in Mizuhara’s vehicle. Ohtani is also looking to retrieve a quantity of personally signed collectible baseball cards featuring his image that Mizuhara had in his possession. Court filings describe the forfeited items as a variety of sports cards stored in different cases and packaging.
The scandal involving Mizuhara and Ohtani shocked Major League Baseball earlier this year, just as the season was getting underway. Mizuhara had also pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud related to the embezzlement of funds from Ohtani. Sportico previously reported that IRS special agent Chris Seymour detailed in an affidavit the specific cards, including those featuring Yogi Berra, Juan Soto, and Ohtani. Ohtani is now seeking to reclaim ownership of these valuable items through legal proceedings.
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