The U.S. government is making moves to reclaim a precious collection of baseball cards that were acquired with stolen funds by Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, the acclaimed star of the Los Angeles Angels. Mizuhara recently admitted to embezzling almost $17 million from Ohtani, prompting federal prosecutors to file a request in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to confiscate the baseball cards as part of his pending sentencing.
In a legal filing presented on Monday, authorities sought permission from the court to seize Mizuhara’s assortment of valuable baseball cards, as well as the accompanying packaging materials and protective gear used to safeguard the cards. Mizuhara’s sentencing is slated for the end of October, marking a pivotal moment in this unfolding legal saga.
During the period between January and March 2024, Mizuhara splurged over $325,000 of Ohtani’s finances on baseball cards sourced from online platforms such as eBay and Whatnot. His assortment boasts cards featuring iconic figures like Yogi Berra, Juan Soto, and even Ohtani himself, as outlined in Mizuhara’s plea agreement.
As part of the plea deal struck with prosecutors, they are pushing for the forfeiture of these items as a component of Mizuhara’s punishment. In addition to relinquishing the baseball cards, Mizuhara has agreed to surrender other sports memorabilia that was obtained using Ohtani’s money. The plea agreement was formalized in May, with Mizuhara entering a guilty plea in June on charges related to bank and tax fraud.
Mizuhara, who is 39 years old, once held a position of trust as a friend, interpreter, and unofficial manager for Ohtani ever since the Japanese sensation joined the Angels back in 2018. Over the course of several years, Mizuhara diverted millions from Ohtani’s accounts to service his gambling debts and acquire upscale baseball collectibles.
The court is anticipated to make a decision on the forfeiture request as part of Mizuhara’s sentencing proceedings scheduled for October 25th, marking a crucial juncture in this high-profile case.
This legal matter is identified as United States v. Mizuhara, C.D. Cal., No. 8:24-cr-00054-JWH, with the latest update on September 16, 2024.