"In papers filed Sunday, lawyers for Ohtani and Balelo said Hayes and Matsumoto in 2023 acquired rights for a joint venture in which they owned a minority percentage to use Ohtani's name, image and likeness under an endorsement agreement to market the venture's real estate development at the Mauna Kea Resort. The lawyers said Ohtani was a "victim of NIL violations.""
""Unbeknownst to Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo, plaintiffs exploited Ohtani's name and photograph to drum up traffic to a website that marketed plaintiffs' own side project development," the lawyers wrote. "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.""
Kevin J. Hayes Sr., real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto, West Point Investment Corp. and Hapuna Estates Property Owners sued Shohei Ohtani and agent Nez Balelo, alleging abuse of power that resulted in tortious interference, unjust enrichment and their removal from a joint venture on the Hapuna Coast. Hayes and Matsumoto were dropped from the development deal by Kingsbarn Realty Capital, the joint venture's majority owner. Lawyers for Ohtani and Balelo said Hayes and Matsumoto acquired minority rights in 2023 to use Ohtani's name, image and likeness under an endorsement agreement for the Mauna Kea Resort development and then exploited his likeness without authorization or payment, prompting Balelo to express concern and threaten legal action.
Read at ESPN.com
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