If you’ve been out of the loop, two Hawaii-based real estate developers have sued the Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo. Developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and broker Tomoko Matsumoto got Ohtani on board in 2023 to be the “face” of a $240 million luxury housing project called The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort. It features 14 beachfront homes at nearly $17.3 million each. Following this infamous lawsuit, Baleolo became the “disruptive force” in increasing demands and threatening to withdraw Ohtani unless the main developer, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, fired them from the 11-year-long project.

As per the complaint filed in the Hawaii Circuit Court, Balelo demanded Hayes and Matsumoto’s removal from the project, issuing an ultimatum to Kingsbarn, the plaintiff business partner. If not? They’d face retaliatory litigation centered around the violation of Ohtani’s name and rights. Now, American media personality and sportscaster Colin Cowherd has torched the latest narrative around him. He started off by recapping what happened earlier.

“There’s a lot of grift out there. So the first time he got into trouble, I had more like losers contacting me, telling me they had a friend of a friend in Vegas, they knew Ohtani was betting Brewers games.” It almost baffled him. It’s because Ohtani had bet neither on baseball nor on any other sports. Plus, he had never made any payments to an illegal bookmaker. Cowherd continued, “It was nonsense. And it was proven to be nonsense. This time, it was a real estate developer and investor. I got to tell you that industry and I’ve played around real estate are not known for transparency.” 

Just last year, Shotime’s longtime interpreter was caught in a gambling scandal that had nothing to do with Ohtani’s own actions. Yet, his image was tested and dragged into the legal crossfire. Cowherd effectively defended Ohtani’s position back then, as well, and he continues to do so…

Kingsbarn had signed Ohtani two years ago, and it makes no sense to Cowhed that “Ohtani is helping the Dodgers to win the World Series; he was a criminal mastermind in Hawaii? The second part of this, he enters the project in the 11th year, and he’s the reason it’s failing? Really?” 

It didn’t add up for Cowherd. Matsumoto and Hayes conceived this project back in 2013. They brought in Ohtani in 2023 to get other high-profile sensations’ attention. When they were promptly removed, they came after Ohtani and his agent for “unjust enrichment” and “tortious interference.” 

But on the legal side, attorney Arash Sadat of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP recently reviewed the filing. According to him, the law works in such a way that if somebody is your agent, you can be held liable for anything they do on your behalf. That’s how Ohtani can be held liable, despite not knowing the extent of his own involvement.

More on Ohtani’s liability in Hawaii real estate lawsuit

Ohtani’s connection to this Hawaii project was not discussed in the news until this week. Back in April last year, The Wall Street Journal reported on the Dodgers star’s intent on building a home there. He had signed on to endorse the 14-home luxury development on the Big Island of Hawaii even before his first game in LA. Even till today, the Dodgers star is listed as the first resident of the property on the project’s official website.

But his agent, Balelo, has been accused of interfering with the project, so why is Ohtani being dragged into this lawsuit? Well, to clear the air, the law is not claiming that Ohtani did anything. They are saying that his agent did.

The stretch of Ohtani’s brief involvement in the firings of Hayes and Matsumoto is his legal liability. Investment materials for the Hawaii project listed the broker and developer as a part of the management team along with Kingsbarn.

Sadat of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP says that even the firing of the broker and developer did not cause any violation of a contract signed by Ohtani. The lawsuit seems to be prompted because of the interference with prospective economic advantage. Soon enough, Balelo and Ohtani can counter with a motion to dismiss this suit.