""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.""
""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.\"""
Shohei Ohtani and agent Nez Balelo were named defendants after Hawaii developers Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and Tomoko Matsumoto claimed they were fired from a $240 million luxury housing development where Ohtani was to serve as spokesperson. The plaintiffs alleged endorsement and joint-venture rights tied to Ohtani's name, image and likeness. Ohtani's lawyers moved to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting Hayes and Matsumoto used Ohtani's name and photograph without authorization, failed to pay him, and committed NIL violations. Balelo allegedly threatened litigation to remove the developers, and Ohtani had planned to buy an offseason residence at Mauna Kea Resort.
Read at Dodger Blue
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