Shohei Ohtani is petitioning a judge to take ownership of $325,000 worth of baseball cards that the baseball star's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly purchased using Ohtani's money.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing about $17 million from Ohtani earlier this year in a scandal that shocked Major League Baseball just before the season began.
The Dodgers star requested a hearing Wednesday before a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to gain ownership of valuable cards that authorities seized from Mizuhara as part of an investigation into him. According to The Athletic.
The baseball cards were purchased online on eBay and Whatnot between January and March of this year, and former Otani aides intended to resell them.
A hearing was granted and is scheduled for December 20th, and Otani claims he wants it because he bought it with his own money.
According to a reporter for The Athletic, court filings indicate that the confiscated items were listed as “collectible sports cards found in the Silver and Black Panopply incident.” The collectible sports cards come in a gray Panopply case. A box containing collectible sports cards. Card wrap equipment. Also includes a plastic card protector holder. ”
Ohtani is also seeking the return of “a large number of personally autographed collectible baseball cards” that Mizuhara owned that featured portraits of Dodgers star players.
Sportico reported in April IRS Special Agent Chris Seymour filed an affidavit detailing that the cards included Ohtani's cards as well as those of Yogi Berra and Juan Soto.
The cards were hidden in several briefcases and boxes in the car used by the disgraced interpreter.
Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to bank fraud and tax evasion charges in connection with stealing millions of dollars from Otani.
