The world of sports can often be a place where unexpected scandals and betrayals lurk beneath the surface, and one recent case involving Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Angels sensation Shohei Ohtani, is a prime example. In a shocking turn of events, the U.S. government has set its sights on Mizuhara’s prized possession – a collection of valuable baseball cards acquired through embezzled funds.
Federal prosecutors are not pulling any punches in their pursuit of justice as they seek permission from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to seize Mizuhara’s extensive baseball card collection. This includes not only the cards themselves but also the associated packaging materials and card-protecting equipment. Mizuhara, who has admitted to embezzling nearly $17 million from Ohtani, is scheduled for sentencing in late October, where the fate of his beloved collection will be determined.
The saga unfolded between January and March 2024 when Mizuhara embarked on a spending spree using Ohtani’s funds to amass a substantial collection of baseball cards from popular online marketplaces like eBay and Whatnot. Among the treasures in his possession are cards featuring legendary players such as Yogi Berra, Juan Soto, and even Ohtani himself, as outlined in Mizuhara’s plea agreement.
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors are pushing for the forfeiture of these ill-gotten gains as a form of retribution for Mizuhara’s crimes. In a bid to make amends for his fraudulent activities, Mizuhara has pledged to also surrender other sports memorabilia that he purchased using Ohtani’s money. The former trusted confidant of the Japanese baseball star entered into the plea agreement back in May and formally pleaded guilty to charges of bank and tax fraud in June.
Mizuhara, aged 39, had played a pivotal role in Ohtani’s career as a close friend, interpreter, and unofficial manager since the player’s arrival on the Angels’ roster in 2018. However, behind the facade of friendship and trust, Mizuhara was surreptitiously draining millions from Ohtani’s accounts to fuel his gambling habits and indulge his passion for high-end baseball collectibles.
The impending sentencing hearing on October 25 will be a critical juncture in determining the fate of Mizuhara’s cherished baseball card collection. The U.S. government’s case against him is identified as United States v. Mizuhara, C.D. Cal., No. 8:24-cr-00054-JWH, with the legal showdown set to unfold in the coming weeks as justice seeks to reclaim what was unlawfully taken.
