Police arrest three more linked to 500.com bribery scandal

Tokyo prosecutors have arrested three corporate executives for allegedly offering money to a defendant in the 500.com bribery scandal to provide false testimony, according to local media reports.

Fumihiko Sato, 50, Akihito Awaji, 54, and Kazuhiro Miyatake, 49 were arrested on Tuesday.

Sato and Awaji reportedly asked a representative of 500.com, who has been indicted for bribing a Japanese lawmaker over a casino license, to commit perjury on the politician’s behalf.  

In June they said they would offer ¥10 million in cash if the individual made false statements in favor of the lawmaker at his trial.

On July 22, the pair allegedly asked again the person to commit perjury for ¥20 million.

Miyatake is suspected of asking in early June, and again in July, a separate 500.com-linked person indicted over the bribery case to commit perjury for millions of yen in cash and the continuous supply of benefits in return.

House of Representatives member Tsukasa Akimoto has been indicted on suspicion of taking bribes from 500.com and denies the charges. He quit the ruling Liberal Democratic Party soon after his first arrest in late December 2019.

 

 

Latest Intelligence

Latest issue

PATA CEO sees slow recovery, but optimism for future

AGB Podcasts