Ohtani's lawyers move to dismiss real estate suit

HONOLULU -- Los Angeles Dodgers prima Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, moved to disregard a suit filed past period accusing them of causing a Hawaii existent property capitalist and broker to beryllium fired from a $240 cardinal luxury lodging improvement connected the Big Island's Hapuna Coast.

Ohtani and Balelo were sued Aug. 8 successful Hawaii Circuit Court for the First Circuit by developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and existent property broker Tomoko Matsumoto, West Point Investment Corp. and Hapuna Estates Property Owners, who accused them of "abuse of power" that allegedly resulted successful tortious interference and unjust enrichment.

Hayes and Matsumoto had been dropped from the improvement woody by Kingsbarn Realty Capital, the associated venture's bulk owner.

In papers filed Sunday, lawyers for Ohtani and Balelo said Hayes and Matsumoto successful 2023 acquired rights for a associated task successful which they owned a number percent to usage Ohtani's name, representation and likeness nether an endorsement statement to marketplace the venture's existent property improvement astatine the Mauna Kea Resort. The lawyers said Ohtani was a "victim of NIL violations."

"Unbeknownst to Ohtani and his cause Nez Balelo, plaintiffs exploited Ohtani's sanction and photograph to drum up postulation to a website that marketed plaintiffs' ain broadside task development," the lawyers wrote. "They engaged successful this self-dealing without authorization, and without paying Ohtani for that use, successful a selfish and wrongful effort to instrumentality vantage of their proximity to the astir celebrated shot subordinate successful the world."

The lawyers claimed Hayes and Matsumoto sued aft "Balelo did his occupation and protected his lawsuit by expressing justifiable interest astir this misuse and threatening to instrumentality ineligible enactment against this wide misappropriation." They called Balelo's actions "clearly protected code "

In a connection issued aft the suit was filed past month, Kingsbarn called the allegations "completely frivolous and without merit."

Ohtani is simply a three-time MVP connected the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Nez Balelo has ever prioritized Shohei Ohtani's champion interests, including protecting his name, image, and likeness from unauthorized use," a lawyer for Ohtani and Balelo, said successful a statement. "This frivolous suit is simply a hopeless effort by plaintiffs to distract from their myriad of failures and blatant misappropriation of Mr. Ohtani's rights."

Lawyers for Hayes and Matsumoto did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.