Star Pitcher Is Sued Over Hawaii Real Estate Deal

A Hawaii real estate investor and broker are suing Shohei Ohtani, claiming the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his agent got them fired from a $240 million luxury housing development they brought him in to endorse. According to the lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court, Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, increasingly demanded concessions from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before demanding that their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, drop them from the deal. "Balelo and (Ohtani), who were brought into the venture solely for (Ohtani's) promotional and branding value, exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs' role in the project," the lawsuit claims.

The suit accuses Ohtani and Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment, reports the AP. Hayes, a developer with 40 years of experience, and Matsumoto, who was to be the listing agent for the houses averaging $17.3 million each, say that Ohtani and Balelo also tried to undermine their interests in a second, neighboring venture. "This case is about abuse of power," the lawsuit says. "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 will act as the celebrity spokesperson for the project and has committed to purchasing one of the 14 residences within the project," says a brochure. "He also intends to spend significant time at The Vista in the off-season." The suit says the developers spent 11 years working on the deal and "as part of a bold marketing strategy" signed an endorsement deal in 2023 with Ohtani. The suit said Balelo "quickly became a disruptive force," threatening to pull Ohtani from the deal if concessions weren't made. "Kingsbarn began capitulating to Balelo's every whim," the suit said.

story continues below

Last month, in what the suit called "a coordinated ambush," Kingsbarn fired Hayes and Matsumoto. "Kingsbarn openly admitted during the call that Balelo had demanded the terminations and that they were being done solely to placate him," the suit said. "Plaintiffs stand to lose millions of dollars in compensation tied to projected homebuilding profit, construction management fees, and broker commissions."