On the diamond, Shohei Ohtani hit his 42nd homer of the season, reminding everyone why he is the best. But off the field, a new pitch is flying. A lawsuit over a multimillion-dollar real estate deal on Hawaii’s Big Island.
In a surprising turn of events, Hawaii real estate investor Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and broker Tomoko Matsumoto have filed a lawsuit in Hawaii Circuit Court. This lawsuit has brought attention not only to a stunning $240 million development, but also to the towering figure behind its branding: Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo.
The lawsuit says that, “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.”
Shohei Ohtani looks back to towards first base after the final out in the first inning during his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday, June 16, 2025. Ohtani s pitching outing was brief, lasting just one inning, tossing 28 pitches, giving up one run on two hits a pair of flare singles from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez and a sacrifice fly from Manny Machado. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY LAP2025061618 JIMxRUYMEN
The plaintiffs allege that two project partners were forced out due to behind-the-scenes manipulation, claiming tortious interference and unjust enrichment. Developer Hayes, with 40 years of experience, and Matsumoto, who handles properties worth an average of $17.3 million, were allegedly asked for concessions by Balelo before demanding that their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, remove them from the project. Hayes and Matsumoto also claim that Ohtani and Balelo sought to interfere with their stake in a second nearby project.
“This case is about abuse of power,” the lawsuit says with confidence. “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.” In marketing brochures, Ohtani was called the “1st Resident.” He was supposed to build a private hitting-and-pitching facility and be the celebrity that would drive sales, especially among Japanese luxury buyers.
Hayes and Matsumoto say that the aftermath isn’t just bad for their reputations; it’s also bad for their money. The lawsuit says, “Plaintiffs stand to lose millions of dollars in compensation tied to projected homebuilding profit, construction management fees, and broker commissions.” The complaint also states that Kingsbarn “openly admitted during the call that Balelo had demanded the terminations and that they were being done solely to placate him.”
These charges are a major shift for Shohei Ohtani, who has portrayed himself as baseball’s most humble superstar. Well, it’s not the first time that Ohtani has come under all these legal controversies.
Off-field controversies involving Shohei Ohtani’s name: Legal battles over theft and memorabilia
Shohei Ohtani is known for his two-way skills. But he has recently been in a lot of legal trouble off the field. Remember Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s former interpreter? Well, back in February, he was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for stealing almost $17 million from Ohtani’s bank account.
credits: MLB.COM
Mizuhara, who had been Ohtani’s interpreter and trusted friend, used the money to pay off a lot of gambling debts. He was found guilty of filing a fraudulent tax return and committing bank fraud. He was ordered to pay back more than $18 million. But if you thought it’s the only other off-field controversy Ohtani’s name got involved in, then you’ve got another thought coming.
On September 19, 2024, during a game against the Miami Marlins, Shohei Ohtani blasted his 50th home run of the 2024 MLB season. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. And the ball went into the crowd, which later created chaos over the ownership.
Max Matus caught the ball and said it was his, but Chris Belanski took it from Matus after that. Matus sued Belanski, saying that the ball was legitimately his. The case brought to light the complicated nature of ownership rights over collectibles. And Chris Belanski also put that ball up for auction.
Interestingly, Belanski and another guy named Kelvin Ramirez both claimed possession of the ball. A Florida judge denied Matus’s request for a temporary injunction to stop the sale, allowing it to continue as planned. Later, Goldin Auctions sold the ball for a record-breaking $4.39 million, with everyone involved in the lawsuit agreed that the auction could go on.
Recent events have linked Ohtani’s name to legal issues outside of sports. Although he hasn’t been found guilty of any unlawful acts, the connection of his name and assets to these cases has drawn significant attention.
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