Luxury real estate sale in Hawaii allegedly thwarted by Shohei Ohtani and his representative.
In a surprising turn of events, a civil lawsuit has been filed against baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo, accusing them of disrupting business relationships and unjust enrichment in relation to a $240 million luxury real estate project on Hawaii’s Big Island.
The lawsuit, filed on August 8, 2025, in Hawaii Circuit Court, alleges that Ohtani and Balelo, who is part of Creative Artists Agency (CAA Baseball), interfered with the business dealings of developers Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and Tomoko Matsumoto. The developers claim that Balelo pressured project partner Kingsbarn Realty Capital to remove them from the deal, threatening to withdraw Ohtani’s involvement in the luxury development, known as The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort.
The dispute dates back to 2023 when Ohtani entered an endorsement agreement to be the celebrity spokesperson and “first resident” of the project, planning to purchase a $17.3 million home and build a personal training facility there. Over the following years, the developers allege that Balelo continued to exert pressure, eventually leading to their wrongful and pretextual termination from the project.
The developers were given no warning and no opportunity to respond to their termination, which was allegedly based on a fabricated allegation about misuse of Ohtani’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. The developers' complaint also accuses Ohtani and Balelo of pressuring other investors to eventually dump Hayes and Matsumoto from the project.
The lawsuit seeks damages for the millions lost in commissions, profits, and fees due to their exclusion from the project. CAA Baseball, Balelo’s agency, declined to comment on the lawsuit during initial reports.
This legal conflict raises questions about Nez Balelo's expanding influence beyond sports negotiations into real estate and business dealings. The high-profile nature and financial stakes of the case could impact Balelo’s standing as a major agent and CAA’s reputation, depending on the lawsuit’s resolution.
For Ohtani, the dispute threatens potential distractions from his baseball career, but he has publicly stated his focus remains on playing, attempting to minimize the impact on his professional performance. The civil complaint against Ohtani and Balelo contains large sections that have been redacted, adding to the intrigue surrounding this high-profile case.
[1] Hawaii News Now. (2025, August 9). Shohei Ohtani, agent Nez Balelo sued by Hawaii real estate developers. Retrieved from https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/08/09/shohei-ohtani-agent-nez-balelo-sued-hawaii-real-estate-developers/
[2] ESPN. (2025, August 10). Ohtani, agent Balelo sued by Hawaii real estate developers. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36298452/shohei-ohtani-agent-nez-balelo-sued-hawaii-real-estate-developers
[3] Maui Now. (2025, August 11). Developers of Mauna Kea Resort project sue Shohei Ohtani, agent Nez Balelo. Retrieved from https://mauinews.com/2025/08/11/developers-of-mauna-kea-resort-project-sue-shohei-ohtani-agent-nez-balelo/
[4] The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. (2025, August 12). Ohtani, agent Balelo sued by Hawaii real estate developers. Retrieved from https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/08/12/sports/ohtani-agent-balelo-sued-by-hawaii-real-estate-developers/
[5] MLB.com. (2025, August 13). Ohtani: Sabotage lawsuit 'not a distraction' for me. Retrieved from https://www.mlb.com/news/ohtani-says-lawsuit-isnt-a-distraction-for-him
- In light of the $240 million luxury real estate project on Hawaii’s Big Island, questions arise about Nez Balelo's influence on real estate dealings, extending beyond sports negotiations.
- The lawsuit filed against Shohei Ohtani and Nez Balelo involves pressuring real-estate investors to remove project partners from a project, which could impact Balelo’s standing as a major agent and CAA’s reputation.
- As part of a broader business dispute, Ohtani's agent Balelo allegedly exerted pressure to terminate the developers of The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort, potentially involving sports-betting in the MLB.
- The high financial stakes of the lawsuit against Ohtani and Balelo threaten both their focus on their respective careers, impacting Ohtani's baseball performance and Balelo’s standing as a sports agent.
