Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent are being sued by a Hawaii real estate investor and a broker, alleging that both men got them terminated from a $240 million housing development on Hawaii’s Hapuna Coast that they brought him in to endorse.
The lawsuit was filed in Hawaii Circuit Court on Aug. 8 and obtained by USA TODAY Sports. It says that Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, wanted assurances from Kevin J. Hayes Sr. — a developer who has been in business for 40 years — and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before they demanded their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a company based in Las Vegas, remove both from the real estate deal.
Ohtani is referred to in the lawsuit, in which some portions are redacted, as ‘Otani.’ The developers say in the lawsuit that they spent more than a decade trying to work on the deal before signing Ohtani to an endorsement deal in 2023.
‘This case is about abuse of power. 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,’ the lawsuit says. “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.”
Ohtani and Balelo are accused in the lawsuit of ‘tortious interference and unjust enrichment, who used their ‘celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs’ role in the project’ and attempted to sabotage a second business venture.
Ohtani is listed in a 2024 press release for the Vista at Mauna Kea Resort project, aimed at appealing to Japanese and U.S. high-end buyers, that says he will be the first resident on the property. ‘To me, Hawaii is a beautiful blend of Pacific Ocean cultures,’ Ohtani says in the release. ‘Here, I found my own paradise at Mauna Kea Resort: Two perfect beaches, two amazing golf courses, and so much more. I selected my homesite and am building my winter home here. This is a special place – a place I will soon call home.’
Ohtani is in his second season with the Dodgers, after signing a 10-year, $700-million contract, helping Los Angeles win the World Series last year. He is a five-time All-Star and three-time Most Valuable Player, who is hitting .284 with 42 home runs and 78 RBI for the NL West leaders in 2025.