Latest news with #KevinJHayesSr
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and agent sued for allegedly sabotaging luxury $240m Hawaii real estate deal
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent have been sued for allegedly sabotaging a $240 million real estate project in Hawaii. Hawaii real estate moguls Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and Tomoko Matsumoto have accused the reigning National League MVP and his agent Nez Balelo of having them fired from the luxury property development, costing them a fortune. Hayes, the developer, and Matsumoto, a broker, had reportedly approached the MLB icon and his representative to help promote the luxury housing project that they had ventured into on the Big Island. However, in a lawsuit filed in Hawaii last week, the pair claim that shortly after bringing the Japanese star onboard, Ohtani and Balelo went to Hayes and Matsumoto's business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, and attempted to get them fired. '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 - for no reason other than their own financial self-interest,' the lawsuit claims. Ohtani, who inked a 10-year, $700 million contract in the 2023 offseason, and Balelo allegedly 'issued an ultimatum ... and demanded that Kingsbarn remove Hayes and Matsumoto from the project or else face retaliatory litigation.' Hayes and Matsumoto now claim they face being axed from the project, leaving them at risk of losing 'millions of dollars in economic entitlements.' The suit accuses Ohtani and Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment. 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. 'Defendants used threats and baseless legal claims to force a business partner to betray its contractual obligations and strip Plaintiffs of the very project they conceived and built. 'Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity. 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.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani, agent sued after allegedly sabotaging $240 million real-estate project in Hawaii
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo are being sued by a real-estate investor and broker who were fired from a $240 million project in Hawaii, according to the Associated Press. Developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto filed the lawsuit in the Hawaii Circuit Court on Friday, alleging they were pushed out of the deal due to increasing demands from Ohtani and Balelo. The dispute stems from Ohtani's involvement in The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort. Ohtani signed an endorsement deal for the project in 2023, and was expected to act as a spokesperson and own one of the 14 residences on the property. The project wanted Ohtani on board to "create buzz within the Japanese luxury vacation home market, which is a primary target audience for the project," per an investment brochure. It was believed Ohtani's attachment would help the developers sell properties. The brochure also teased that Ohtani would "spend significant time at The Vista in the offseason" and that he would "construct a small hitting and pitching facility" on the premises, per the Associated Press. But Hayes and Matsumoto alleged that Balelo started making "threats and baseless legal claims" to push the two out of the deal. They accused Balelo and Ohtani of "abuse of power," adding that Balelo "became a disruptive force" after the deal was signed. Balelo reportedly made demands of Kingsbarn Realty Capital, one of the partners involved in the deal. The lawsuit accused Kingsbarn of "capitulating to Balelo's every whim" so it wouldn't lose Ohtani's endorsement. Eventually, Balelo was accused of engaging in "a coordinated ambush" to get Hayes and Matsumoto fired. The lawsuit claimed Kingsbarn admitted Balelo demanded Hayes and Matsumoto be removed from the deal, per the AP. '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.' Ohtani emerged as one of the best players in baseball after leaving Japan to play in MLB in 2018. After some excellent seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, he signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. In his first season with the team, Ohtani helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series title.
