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Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani faces lawsuit for allegedly sabotaging $240 million real estate project in Hawaii
A Hawaii lawsuit claims Shohei Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, pushed to cut two partners from a $240M deal after demanding more concessions from them.
A Hawaii real estate developer and broker are suing Shohei Ohtani, saying the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his agent got them removed from a $240 million luxury housing project on the Big Island’s Hapuna Coast that they had brought him in to promote, according to AP.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in Hawaii Circuit Court, says Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, kept demanding more concessions from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before insisting that their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, cut them out of the deal.
“Balelo and Otani, who were brought into the venture solely for Otani’s promotional and branding value, exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs’ role in the project — for no reason other than their own financial self-interest,” the lawsuit claims.
Suit accuses Shohei Ohtani of tortious interference
The suit accuses Ohtani and Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment. Hayes, who has 40 years of development experience, and Matsumoto, who was set to be the listing agent for homes averaging $17.3 million each, say Ohtani and Balelo also tried to hurt their interests in a separate, nearby project.
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A spokesperson for Balelo’s agency, CAA Baseball, declined to comment. Attempts to reach Kingsbarn officials were not successful.
“This case is about abuse of power,” the lawsuit says. “Defendants used threats and baseless legal claims to force a business partner to betray its contractual obligations and strip Plaintiffs of the very project they conceived and built.
“Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity. Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.”
Shohei Ohtani signed $700 million contract with the Dodgers
Ohtani, 31, came to the United States from Japan in 2018 as one of the most hyped international baseball stars ever, with the rare ability to both pitch and hit. A five-time All-Star and three-time Most Valuable Player, he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers before last season and helped the team win the 2024 World Series.
Marketing materials for The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, still online as of Monday night, listed Hayes and Matsumoto as part of the management team with Kingsbarn. The materials called Ohtani “Japan’s Babe Ruth” and the “1st Resident,” putting his name ahead of the Mauna Kea Resort, “one of the most celebrated hotels in Hawaii,” Hapuna Beach, “rated the #1 beach in America by Conde Nast Traveler” and two golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer and Robert Trent Jones Sr.
“Ohtani will act as the celebrity spokesperson for the project and has committed to purchasing one of the 14 residences within the project,” the brochure says. “He also intends to spend significant time at The Vista in the off-season and will construct a small hitting and pitching facility for preseason training.”
The lawsuit says the developers worked 11 years on the project and signed an endorsement deal in 2023 with Ohtani “as part of a bold marketing strategy” because he was “one of the most high-profile endorsements imaginable.”
According to the brochure, bringing Ohtani on board is expected to boost demand and attract attention in the Japanese luxury vacation home market, which the project is mainly targeting. It says his decision to own a home there could give the development wider global exposure and speed up sales, helping them hit their pricing targets.
