Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani faces a multimillion-dollar lawsuit in Hawaii. A real estate agent expelled Ohtani and his agent from a $240 million luxury housing development on the coveted Hapuna Coast of the Big Island.
The Hawaii Circuit Court processed the lawsuit. However, Nez Balelo, the player’s agent, demanded concessions from developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto before pulling out of the deal.
According to the New York Post, the lawsuit states: “Balelo and Ohtani, who joined the company solely for Ohtani’s promotional and branding value, used their celebrity influence to destabilize and ultimately dismantle the plaintiffs’ role in the project, solely for their own financial gain.”
Breaking a million-dollar business deal
The accusations against Ohtani and Balelo involve alleged tortious interference and unjust enrichment. Hayes and Matsumoto also claim the defendants tried to undermine their interests in another business.
The suit describes the case as “an abuse of power”: “The defendants used threats and unfounded legal claims to force a business partner to betray contractual obligations and strip the plaintiffs of the very project they conceived and built.”
“The defendants must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity. The plaintiffs file this lawsuit to expose the defendants’ misconduct and ensure that contract rules, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to everyone, celebrity or not,” it adds.
Nuevos problemas legales para Shohei Ohtani 😮🇯🇵
El slugger de #Dodgers y su agente, Nez Balelo, estarían bajo la lupa luego de ser acusados de interferir negativamente en un proyecto inmobiliario en Hawaii valorado en 240 millones de dólares.La demanda acusa a Ohtani y Balelo… pic.twitter.com/LdJMJ3XDG4
— BeisbolPlay (@beisbolplaycom) August 12, 2025
The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort marketing materials read: “Ohtani will serve as celebrity spokesperson for the project and has committed to buying one of the 14 residences… He also plans to spend much of the offseason at The Vista and will build a private batting and pitching facility for preseason training.”
“This partnership with Ohtani will increase demand and spark excitement in the Japanese luxury vacation home market, a key target audience for the project… We believe Ohtani’s home ownership will have a major global impact on the project’s exposure and accelerate sales, helping us reach our pricing goals,” the brochure says.
The lawsuit claims Balelo “quickly became a disruptive force”, threatening to withdraw Ohtani from the deal unless concessions were made. As a result, in 2023 the developers signed a high-profile sponsorship deal with Ohtani.
It also alleges that Kingsbarn Realty Capital, Ohtani’s business partner, “began to give in to all of Balelo’s demands”. Over time, it became clear that Kingsbarn prioritized its relationship with Ohtani over fulfilling obligations to its partners.
In July, Kingsbarn fired Hayes and Matsumoto—an act the lawsuit calls a “coordinated ambush”. Kingsbarn admitted “Balelo had demanded the firings” solely to appease him. The plaintiffs claim they could lose millions in projected profits from home construction, management fees, and broker commissions.
