Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, Agent Sued Over $240M Hawaii Real Estate Project

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo are facing a lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court accusing them of tortious interference and unjust enrichment related to a $240 million luxury housing development on Hawaii's Big Island. The plaintiffs, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and realtor Tomoko Matsumoto, allege that Ohtani and Balelo exploited Ohtani's celebrity status to push for concessions and ultimately forced their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, to remove them from the project. The lawsuit claims that Balelo became a disruptive influence, issuing ultimatums and threats of retaliatory legislation to destabilize and dismantle the plaintiffs' roles in both the primary development and a neighboring venture. The plaintiffs assert that this case represents an abuse of power, with Ohtani and Balelo using baseless legal threats to undermine contractual obligations and seize control of the project conceived and developed by Hayes and Matsumoto. The houses in the development were expected to average $17.3 million each, and Matsumoto was slated to be the listing agent. The lawsuit seeks accountability for what it describes as misconduct fueled by financial self-interest and celebrity leverage rather than legitimate business reasons.