A
Hawaii real estate investor and broker are suing Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, alleging they were terminated from a $240 million housing development on the Hapuna Coast after being brought in to endorse it. The lawsuit claims Ohtani's agent demanded assurances before allowing their business partner to remove them from the project.

    The developers spent over a decade working on the deal before signing Ohtani to an endorsement contract in 2023. They claim Ohtani and Balelo used "celebrity leverage" to sabotage their role in the project, attempting to destabilize it and dismantle their involvement. The lawsuit also accuses them of tortious interference and unjust enrichment.

    The developers were initially involved in a high-end resort project on Hawaii's Mauna Kea Coast, aimed at Japanese and U.S. buyers. Ohtani was listed as a resident in a 2024 press release for the project, stating he had found his "paradise" there. He signed a 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers last year and is currently hitting .284 with 42 home runs and 78 RBI for the NL West leaders.