Dodgers baseball player Shohei Ohtani is seeking to recover $325,000 worth of baseball cards that his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly purchased with stolen funds from the player’s bank account. Mizuhara has pleaded guilty to illegally transferring $17 million from Ohtani’s account to fund a gambling habit. Ohtani claims that some of the stolen funds were used to buy collectible baseball cards. Mizuhara is scheduled to be sentenced in January and his attorney could not be reached for comment. Ohtani has denied ever betting on sports, and no law enforcement agency has accused him of it. The scandal broke during the Dodgers’ 2024 season, but Ohtani went on to win the National League MVP award and lead his team to their first World Series title since 1988. Despite the distraction, Ohtani emerged successful on the field. Sports betting is legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, but not in California, where MLB players and team employees are strictly prohibited from wagering on their sport.
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