Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Sued in Hawaiian Real Estate Feud

Los Angeles Dodgers star and World Series champ Shohei Ohtani is at the center of a lawsuit involving a real estate development in Hawaii.

Ohtani, along with his agent Nez Balelo, are being sued by a Hawaii real estate investor and a broker for “tortious interference and unjust enrichment,” USA Today reported.

The suit involves a $240 million housing development on the Hapuna Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Hayes and Matsumoto brought on Ohtani to endorse The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort luxury real estate project. It had been in the works for more than a decade before Ohtani signed on to an endorsement deal in 2023.

Hayes and Matsumoto claim they were pushed out of the deal after Ohtani and Balelo were brought in.

Balelo allegedly sought assurances from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before demanding their business partner, Las Vegas-based Kingsbarn Realty Capital, remove Hayes and Matsumoto from the deal. The suit claims that Ohtani and Balelo interfered with the contractual rights of Hayes and Matsumoto while they were planning and developing the real estate project.

“This case is about abuse of power,” the suit says, according to USA Today. “[Ohtani and Balelo] used threats and baseless legal claims to force a business partner to betray its contractual obligations and strip [Hayes and Matsumoto] of the very project they conceived and built. [Ohtani and Balelo] must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity.”

In response, Kingsbarn Realty called the allegations against Ohtani and Balelo “completely frivolous and without merit” in a statement.

“Kingsbarn takes full responsibility for its actions regarding Kevin Hayes and for removing Tomoko Matsumoto as the project’s broker,” the firm said. “The Mauna Kea project is world-class, and we look forward to welcoming our final group.”

Last year, Ohtani declared he would be the first resident on the property. The Japanese baseball star is in his second season with the Dodgers after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract and helping the team to the World Series title last year.

— Chris Malone Méndez