Shohei Ohtani Seeks Return of Baseball Cards from Former Interpreter

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is taking legal action to reclaim hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he claims were fraudulently purchased using his money by his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

Allegations of Fraudulent Purchases
According to court documents filed on Tuesday, Ohtani is requesting Mizuhara return signed collectible baseball cards depicting Ohtani that were in Mizuhara's "unauthorized and wrongful possession." Mizuhara, who previously pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud for stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani, allegedly accessed Ohtani's bank account starting around November 20211. He changed security protocols to impersonate Ohtani and authorize wire transfers. By 2024, Mizuhara had used the stolen money to buy approximately $325,000 worth of baseball cards from online resellers eBay and Whatnot.

Legal Consequences for Mizuhara
Mizuhara's attorney, Michael G. Freedman, declined to comment on the filing. Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to spending millions from Ohtani's Arizona bank account to cover his gambling debts, medical bills, and the baseball cards1. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January and could face more than 30 years in federal prison. Mizuhara might also be required to pay restitution to Ohtani totaling nearly $17 million, as well as over $1 million to the IRS. As a legal permanent resident with a green card, Mizuhara could be deported to Japan.

Mizuhara's Role in Ohtani's Career
Mizuhara stood by Ohtani during many of his career highlights, including serving as his catcher during the Home Run Derby at the 2021 All-Star Game and being present for Ohtani's two American League MVP wins and his record-breaking $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers. Off the field, Mizuhara became Ohtani's friend and confidant1. However, Mizuhara gambled away tens of millions of dollars on international soccer, NBA, NFL, and college football games, though he never bet on baseball.

​Ohtani's legal pursuit highlights the betrayal by someone who was once a close confidant and the lengths to which he is willing to go to recover what was taken from him.