Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are facing a lawsuit filed by a Hawaii real estate investor and broker, alleging interference in a $240 million housing development on Hawaii’s Hapuna Coast. The plaintiffs claim that Ohtani and Balelo disrupted the project, which they say involved initially Ohtani as an endorser.
Filed on August 8 in the Hawaii Circuit Court, the suit alleges that Balelo demanded guarantees from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and broker Tomoko Matsumoto, pressuring their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, to remove the plaintiffs from the deal. Kingsbarn Realty Capital, based in Las Vegas, had been a key player in the decade-long development.
According to the plaintiffs, Ohtani and Balelo exploited their influence and used “threats and baseless legal claims” to force a business partner to break contractual obligations, ultimately costing the plaintiffs their role in the development. The lawsuit accuses the duo of “tortious interference and unjust enrichment,” claiming they leveraged Ohtani’s celebrity status not only to disrupt this project but also a second business venture.
Ohtani’s involvement was prominently highlighted in a 2024 press release promoting the Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, a luxury development targeting high-end buyers from Japan and the U.S. The release stated Ohtani would be the project’s first resident, describing Hawaii as his “own paradise” and revealing plans to build a winter home on the property.
Now in his second season with the Dodgers under a 10-year, $700 million contract, Ohtani remains a dominant force in baseball. A five-time All-Star and three-time MVP, he helped lead Los Angeles to the World Series title last year. Through the 2025 season, Ohtani is batting .284 with 42 home runs and 78 RBIs, as the Dodgers hold a strong lead in the NL West.