Shohei Ohtani and his agent face lawsuit over alleged interference in $240 million real estate project in Hawai­

Honolulu, Hawaii — Los Angeles Dodgers' Japanese star Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, were sued by an investor and a real estate broker in Hawaii, who allege that both used their influence to remove them from a luxury development project valued at $240 million on the coveted Hapuna coast, on the Big Island. You may be interested:Summary: Christian Javier debuts with a win after Tommy John surgery and Carlos Estévez reaches 30 saves

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Hawaii Circuit Court, accuses Ohtani and Balelo of "unlawful interference" and "unjust enrichment." The plaintiffs, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and agent Tomoko Matsumoto, claim that the player and his representative pressured their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, to exclude them from the project, despite the fact that they were the ones who introduced Ohtani as a promotional figure. "Balelo and Ohtani, brought to the project solely for the promotional and brand value of the player, exploited their fame to destabilize and, ultimately, dismantle the role of the plaintiffs, driven solely by their financial interest," the lawsuit states. The real estate plan, called The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, included 14 luxury residences with an average price of $17.3 million. Promotional materials highlighted Ohtani as "the first resident" and spokesperson for the project, even committing to build a pre-season training facility. According to the plaintiffs, the relationship with Ohtani was established in 2023 as part of a strategy to attract the Japanese luxury vacation home market. However, they accuse Balelo of quickly becoming a "disruptive force," demanding concessions and threatening to withdraw the player from the agreement. Last month, in what they call "a coordinated ambush," Kingsbarn fired Hayes and Matsumoto. "Kingsbarn admitted that the terminations were made solely to please Balelo," the lawsuit states, which claims millions of dollars in losses for projected earnings and commissions. Ohtani, 31, arrived in the Major Leagues in 2018 as one of the biggest international stars in baseball history. A three-time MVP and five-time All-Star, he signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last year, and contributed to their World Series title in 2024. Neither Balelo's agency nor Kingsbarn representatives have commented on the lawsuit.