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Hawaii real estate investor and broker are suing Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, alleging he and his agent exploited their celebrity status to get them fired from a $240 million luxury housing development on the Big Island's Hapuna Coast. The lawsuit claims Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, demanded concessions before forcing their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, to drop them from the deal.

    According to the suit, Ohtani and Balelo used their leverage to destabilize the project, which was meant to capitalize on Ohtani's promotional value. The developers spent 11 years working on the deal and signed an endorsement agreement with Ohtani in 2023, expecting his involvement would boost demand and sales.

    However, the suit alleges that Balelo became a "disruptive force" after signing the deal, making demands for concessions and threatening to pull Ohtani's endorsement if they weren't met. Kingsbarn eventually fired Hayes and Matsumoto last month, allegedly at Balelo's behest, leaving them to lose millions in compensation.

    The lawsuit accuses Ohtani and Balelo of tortious interference and unjust enrichment, claiming they abused their power to force a business partner to betray its contractual obligations. The developers are seeking accountability for what they call an "abuse of power" that has left them financially vulnerable.