Dodgers utilityman Shohei Ohtani is suing former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, demanding the return of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of baseball cards he alleges were purchased fraudulently with his money.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud, admitting to using Ohtani’s money to fund gambling debts and personal expenses. accusations of a gambling scandal, leading to his firing. He faces up to 30 years in prison, $17 million in restitution to Ohtani, and deportation to Japan.
Court documents reveal that the fraudulent activities began in late 2021 and were executed as Mizuhara altered Ohtani’s banking security settings, allowing him to impersonate Ohtani and authorize illegal wire transfers.
The stolen funds were largely spent on sports gambling, including bets on soccer, NBA, NFL and college football games. Prosecutors confirmed that no bets were made on baseball games.
Mizuhara accompanied Ohtani through his time with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and as he signed a $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani stood focused on the field despite the accusations, earning his second MVP award in his debut season with the Dodgers, and completing baseball’s first 50/50 season, hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases. Ultimately, Ohtani and the Dodgers would win the World Series.
