Two years after securing Shohei Ohtani’s endorsement deal, two Hawaii-based real estate developers accused the Dodgers star and his agent Nez Balelo last month of their wrongful interference in a $240 million luxury housing project. For the record, it wasn’t a criminal case. Ohtani’s involvement was apparently more symbolic than direct. The last time the Dodgers star addressed it was exactly a month ago. Calm as ever, he said, “I’m focused on what the team is doing, doing everything I can,” via his interpreter. Now weeks into the case, Lawyers representing the Dodgers star have officially responded.

As they put it, Shohei Ohtani’s name, image, and likeness were used in a “side project” development. It was outside of the already agreed-upon endorsement deal. “They engaged in this self-dealing without authorization and without paying Ohtani for that use, in a selfish and wrongful effort to take advantage of their proximity to the most famous baseball player in the world.” This was a part of Ohtani’s attorney’s dismissal motion.

Hayes and Matsumoto’s August 8 filing accused Balelo of masterminding “a calculated and unlawful scheme” to interfere with the project. They claimed that Balelo, all under the celebrity influence of Dodgers star, demanded concessions and pressed for their firings.

The developers argued that the Ohtani’s side had exploited their celebrity leverage to destabilize and dismantle Plaintiff’s role in the project for their own financial interest. Opening up on the accusations, the defense lawyers said that the plaintiffs’ claim of “tortious interference” didn’t hold up. That’s because Balelo’s threats of legal action were within his rights. Further, on the “unjust enrichment” claim, they made it clear that all that was gained was within the scope of the endorsement contract.

The entire case was just as baffling to American media personality and sportscaster Colin Cowherd as well. He stressed that he’s been around the real estate industry and “it’s not known for transparency.” It made absolutely no sense to him that Ohtani, who has always had baseball in mind, would ever be a criminal mastermind in Hawaii.

More on Shohei Ohtani’s liability in this case

The Dodgers star’s connection to the housing project wasn’t even discussed until mid-August. The last anything around it was mentioned back in April 2024. It was when The Wall Street Journal reported on Shohei Ohtani’s intent to build a house in a housing project—The Vista at Mauna Kea Resort.

According to the complaint that was previously filed in Hawaiian Circuit Court, Ohtani’s agent had 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 for the violation of Ohtani’s name and rights.

The Japanese star was signed on to endorse the 14 home luxury development on the Big Island of Hawaii even before his first game in LA. Till this very date, on the project’s official website, he is listed as the first resident of the property.

Back in August, Sadat of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP stated that the firing of the Hawaiian developers did not cause any violation of a contract signed by Shohei Ohtani. The lawsuit only came into the picture because of the interference with prospective economic advantage.