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Japan Times
13-08-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani sued over $240 million Hawaii development
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent are being sued for allegedly causing a real estate investor and a broker to be removed from their jobs with a $240 million luxury housing development in Hawaii. In a civil lawsuit filed in the Hawaii Circuit Court on Friday, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto claim they were removed from the project amid interference from agent Nez Balelo and Ohtani. Hayes and Matsumoto contend their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, dropped them and are suing on the ground of tortious interference and unjust enrichment. They also contend that Balelo and Ohtani attempted to impact their involvement in a second development. Per the suit, Balelo sought concessions from Hayes and Matsumoto before demanding Kingsbarn fire them, which it did amid threats that Ohtani would back off his endorsement of The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort project. Hayes is a longtime developer, and Matsumoto was to be the listing agent. "Kingsbarn openly admitted ... 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 was brought into the venture to lend his name for promotional value, but instead he and Balelo, according to the filing, "exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs' role in the project — for no reason other than their own financial self-interest." A spokesman for Balelo's agency, CAA Baseball, declined to comment when contacted by the New York Post. The website of Kingsbarn Realty Capital details plans for The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort. It consists of 14 custom single-family homes built on 17 acres, with each home site offering a residence of more than 7,000 square feet and "unparalleled views of the Hawaiian coastline." It also is surrounded by two golf courses. The website says the homes will be marketed primarily to potential buyers in the U.S. and Japan and that Ohtani would be the first resident, having already selected his lot in the development, where the average home price is $17.3 million. Ohtani, 31, is the biggest star in Japan and wields considerable endorsement power. According to Forbes, Ohtani earned $60 million in endorsements in 2024. He signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers before the 2024 season and is a three-time Most Valuable Player. Ohtani was tied to another legal case last year when his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was accused of stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. Mizuhara pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
Time of India
13-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Shohei Ohtani, agent face lawsuit over alleged $240 million Hawaii real estate deal sabotage
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo , are facing a lawsuit in Hawaii accusing them of derailing a $240 million luxury housing project. In a complaint filed Friday in Hawaii Circuit Court, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto allege that Ohtani and Balelo's interference led their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital , to remove them from The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort development. The suit claims Balelo first sought concessions from Hayes and Matsumoto, then pressured Kingsbarn to terminate them - threatening that Ohtani would withdraw his endorsement of the project. Hayes and Matsumoto also say the pair tried to undermine their role in another planned development. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program The plaintiffs are suing for tortious interference and unjust enrichment. Hayes has decades of experience in development, while Matsumoto had been slated as the project's listing agent. "Kingsbarn openly admitted ... that Balelo had demanded the terminations and that they were being done solely to placate him," according to the suit. "Plaintiffs stand to lose millions of dollars in compensation tied to projected homebuilding profit, construction management fees, and broker commissions." Ohtani was enlisted to add promotional star power to the venture, but the lawsuit claims he and Balelo instead 'used their celebrity influence to undermine and ultimately remove the Plaintiffs from the project - motivated solely by their own financial gain'. Live Events According to Kingsbarn Realty Capital's website, The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort will feature 14 custom single-family homes spread across 17 acres, each exceeding 7,000 square feet and offering 'unparalleled views of the Hawaiian coastline'. The development is surrounded by two golf courses and is aimed primarily at buyers in the US and Japan. The site also notes that Ohtani would be the first resident, having already chosen his lot in the project, where the average home price is $17.3 million. Ohtani, 31, is Japan's biggest sports star and one of the most marketable athletes in the world. Forbes estimates he earned $60 million in endorsements in 2024 alone. Before the 2024 season, he signed a record 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This isn't the first time Ohtani's name has surfaced in legal matters. Last year, his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was accused of stealing nearly $17 million from him. Mizuhara later pleaded guilty and received a 57-month prison sentence.
Reuters
12-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, agent sued in $240M Hawaii development deal
August 12 - Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent are being sued for allegedly causing a real estate investor and a broker to be removed from their jobs with a $240 million luxury housing development in Hawaii. In a civil lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court on Friday, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto claim they were removed from the project amid interference from agent Nez Balelo and Ohtani. Hayes and Matsumoto contend their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, dropped them and are suing on the ground of tortious interference and unjust enrichment. They also contend that Balelo and Ohtani attempted to impact their involvement in a second development. Per the suit, Balelo sought concessions from Hayes and Matsumoto before demanding Kingsbarn fire them, which it did amid threats that Ohtani would back off his endorsement of The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort project. Hayes is a longtime developer, and Matsumoto was to be the listing agent. "Kingsbarn openly admitted ... 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 was brought into the venture to lend his name for promotional value, but instead he and Balelo, according to the filing, "exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs' role in the project -- for no reason other than their own financial self-interest." A spokesman for Balelo's agency, CAA Baseball, declined to comment when contacted by the New York Post. The website of Kingsbarn Realty Capital details plans for The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort. It consists of 14 custom single-family homes built on 17 acres, with each home site offering a residence of more than 7,000 square feet and "unparalleled views of the Hawaiian coastline." It also is surrounded by two golf courses. The website says the homes will be marketed primarily to potential buyers in the U.S. and Japan and that Ohtani would be the first resident, having already selected his lot in the development, where the average home price is $17.3 million. Ohtani, 31, is the biggest star in Japan and wields considerable endorsement power. According to Forbes, Ohtani earned $60 million in endorsements in 2024. He signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers before the 2024 season and is a three-time Most Valuable Player. Ohtani was tied to another legal case last year when his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was accused of stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. Mizuhara pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 57 months in prison. --Field Level Media
Fox News
12-08-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Shohei Ohtani, agent accused of exploiting celebrity status to force partners out of $240 million realty deal
Shohei Ohtani and his agent were hit with a lawsuit by a real estate investor and broker in Hawaii, claiming they got them fired from a $240 million luxury housing development by using their celebrity status. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar's agent is accused of increasingly demanding concessions from developer Kevin J. Hayes and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto and then demanding that their own business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, drop them from the deal. "[Nez] Balelo and Otani, who were brought into the venture solely for Otani'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 said, via the Associated Press. "This case is about abuse of power," the lawsuit continued. "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." Ohtani and Balelo are accused of tortious interference and unjust enrichment, while also undermining their interests in another venture. Balelo's agency, CAA, declined to comment on the suit, according to the AP. Balelo threatened to pull Ohtani from the deal if their own demands weren't met, the suit said. "Kingsbarn began capitulating to Balelo's every whim," the suit said. "Over time, it became increasingly obvious that Kingsbarn was more concerned about preserving its relationship with Otani than honoring its obligations to its business partners." Ohtani signed his endorsement deal with the developers in 2023. This is not the first time Ohtani has had off-field drama involving large sums of money. His former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, is serving a prison sentence for theft and fraud after stealing money from Ohtani to pay off gambling debts. The money delivered to bookies was from Ohtani's bank account. Ohtani just became the first person since 2018 to hit 40-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons, as he vies for a fourth MVP in the last five years for the NL West-leading Dodgers.
The Independent
12-08-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and agent sued over $240M luxury housing project
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his agent are facing a lawsuit from a Hawaii real estate investor and broker, who claim they were unfairly removed from a $240m luxury housing development on the Big Island 's Hapuna Coast. Kevin J. Hayes Sr, an investor, and Tomoko Matsumoto, a broker, allege they brought Ohtani in to endorse the project but were subsequently fired. According to the lawsuit filed in Hawaii Circuit Court, Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, increasingly demanded concessions from the developers before insisting their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, remove them from the deal. The legal filing asserts: "Balelo and Otani, who were brought into the venture solely for Otani's promotional and branding value, exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilise and ultimately dismantle Plaintiffs' role in the project — for no reason other than their own financial self-interest." The suit accuses Ohtani and Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment, also claiming they attempted to undermine the plaintiffs' interests in a second, neighbouring venture. A spokesman for Balelo's agency, CAA Baseball, declined comment on the allegations. Attempts to reach Kingsbarn officials for comment were not immediately successful. '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.' Ohtani, 31, arrived from Japan in 2018 as perhaps the most heralded international star in baseball history, with an ability to both pitch and hit that made him doubly valuable to his team. A five-time All-Star and three-time Most Valuable Player, he signed a record 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers before last season and helped the team win the 2024 World Series. Investment materials for The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, which remained online on Monday night, listed Hayes and Matsumoto as part of the management team, along with Kingsbarn. It called Ohtani ' Japan 's Babe Ruth ' and the '1st Resident,' giving him top billing ahead of the iconic Mauna Kea Resort, 'one of the most celebrated hotels in Hawaii,' Hapuna Beach, 'rated the #1 beach in America by Conde Nast Traveler' and two golf courses – one designed by Arnold Palmer, the other by Robert Trent Jones Sr. 'Ohtani will act as the celebrity spokesperson for the project and has committed to purchasing one of the 14 residences within the project,' the brochure says. 'He also intends to spend significant time at The Vista in the off-season and will construct a small hitting and pitching facility for preseason training." The suit says the developers spent 11 years working on the deal and 'as part of a bold marketing strategy' signed an endorsement deal in 2023 with Ohtani, 'one of the most high-profile endorsements imaginable." 'This partnership with Ohtani will elevate the demand and create buzz within the Japanese luxury vacation home market, which is a primary target audience for the project," the investment brochure said. 'We see Shohei Ohtani 's homeownership as having a significant impact on the global exposure of the project and expect to accelerate the pace of sales, thereby helping us achieve our pricing objectives.' The suit said Balelo 'quickly became a disruptive force,' threatening to pull Ohtani from the deal if concessions weren't made. 'Kingsbarn began capitulating to Balelo's every whim,' the suit said. 'Over time, it became increasingly obvious that Kingsbarn was more concerned about preserving its relationship with Otani than honoring its obligations to its business partners.' Last month, in what the suit called 'a coordinated ambush,' Kingsbarn fired Hayes and Matsumoto. '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.'
