Hawaii real estate investor and broker claim against Shohei Ohh, claiming that the Los Angeles Dodgers star and his agent fired them from the luxury housing of $ 240 million on the covenant shore of the big island, which brought him to support him.
According to the case brought to the Hawaii court on Friday, Otani’s agent, Nes Balelo, increasingly demanded discounts from entrepreneur Kevin J. Hayes -Senior and Real Estate Broker Tomoko Matsumoto, before asking for their business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, reject them from the deal.
“Balello and Otani, which were put into the endeavor only for the promotional and branded value of Otani, operated a leverage of their celebrities to destabilize and ultimately dismantle the role of the plaintiffs in the project, no reason other than their own financial role.”
The lawsuit accuses Otani and Balello of excruciating intervention and unfair enrichment. Hayes, a developer with 40 years of experience, and the Matsumoto, who had to be an advertising agent for the houses, an average of $ 17.3 million, say Otani and Balello also tried to undermine their interests in a second, neighboring venture.
A spokesman for the Balello Agency, CAA baseball, declined to comment. Attempts to reach Kingsbarn employees for comment were not immediately successful.
“This case is for abuse of power,” the lawsuit said. “The defendants used threats and unfounded legal claims to force a business partner to submit their contractual obligations and to undress the plaintiffs of the project itself, which they intended and built.
“The defendants must be responsible for their actions, not protected from the glory or behind-the-scenes agents acting impunity.
The 31 -year -old Otani arrived from Japan in 2018, and perhaps the most famous international star in baseball history, with the ability to run and strokes, which made it twice as valuable for its team. A five-time All-Star and a three-time most valuable player, he signed a record 10-year-old, $ 700 million contract with Dodgers before last season and helped the team win the World Series 2024.
Investment materials for Vista in Mauna Kea Resort, which remained online on Monday night, listed Hayes and Matsumoto as part of the management team, along with Kingsbarn. He called Otani “Japanese Madam Ruth” and “1st Resident”, giving it the highest charging to the emblematic resort of Mauna kea, “one of the most famous hotels in Hawai Trent Jonis Shr
“Otani will act as a spokesman for the celebrities of the project and is committed to buying one of the 14 residences within the project,” the brochure says. “He also intends to spend considerable time at Vista in the off -season and will build a small hit and picked facility for pre -Zazzo training.”
The claim says that the developers spent 11 years in dealing with the deal and “as part of a bold marketing strategy” have signed a transaction for approval in 2023 with OHHTANI, “one of the most profile approvals that are presented.”
“This partnership with Ohtani will increase demand and create a buzz within the Japanese luxury holiday home market, which is a major target audience for the project,” said Brochure Investment. “We see the ownership of the Shohei Otani home as a significant impact on global project exposure and expect to speed up sales, thus helping us to achieve our prices.”
The costume says Balello “quickly became a destructive power”, threatening to withdraw the deal from the deal if the discounts were not made.
“Kingsbarn began to capitulate every fad of Balello,” the costume said. “Over time, it became increasingly clear that Kingsburn was more concerned about maintaining his relationship with Otani than to honor his duties to his business partners.”
Last month in what the suit called “coordinated ambush”, Kingsburn fired Hayes and Matsumoto.
“During Kingsburn’s call, Balello has requested the termination and that they are done only to put it on,” the costume said. “The plaintiffs have lost millions of dollars compensation, bound to the estimated profit from housing, construction management fees and commissions for brokers.”
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