MLB: Ohtani Faces Another Legal Dispute Over $240M Hawaiian Luxury Property Development

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani may be embroiled in another legal issue. According to the Associated Press, Hawaiian real estate investor Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and agent Tomoko Matsumoto have sued Ohtani and his agent, alleging they caused their removal from a $240 million luxury property development project at Hapuna Coast.

The plaintiffs’ complaint, filed in Hawaii Circuit Court, claims Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, leveraged Ohtani’s celebrity influence to pressure their partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, into cutting the plaintiffs out of the deal, accusing them of business interference and unjust enrichment.

“Balelo and Ohtani entered this venture solely based on Ohtani’s fame and brand power, using his influence to dismantle the plaintiffs’ role in the project—all for their own financial gain. This case involves an abuse of power, where the defendants employed threats and baseless legal claims to force a business partner to breach contractual obligations, stripping the plaintiffs of the project they built.”

In short, Ohtani’s initial involvement brought excitement to the development, with expectations of tapping into Japan’s luxury vacation market through his endorsement. However, according to the plaintiffs, Balelo sought to seize control of the project’s shares, threatening Kingsbarn to remove them—or else Ohtani would withdraw his endorsement. True to the threat, the plaintiffs were terminated by Kingsbarn last month and are now seeking millions in damages.