KUMAMOTO (TR) – Two accomplices of a woman extradited from Thailand this week to face charges of investment fraud are expected be prosecuted, reports Nippon News Network (Apr. 20).
On Thursday, Setsuko Yamabe, 62, is expected to be sent to prosecutors along with two male and female accomplices over an alleged fraud in which dozens of victims were falsely promised high rates of return on investments.
Early Wednesday morning, Yamabe, 62, was arrested over Japanese air space on a flight from Bangkok on charges of investment fraud. Upon arrival at Haneda Airport, the suspect changed to a domestic flight bound for Kumamoto Prefecture.
In January, Kumamoto Prefectural Police obtained an arrest warrant for Yamabe, who is suspected of defrauding more than 50 persons in fraudulently obtaining at least 700 million yen over the past few years.
Thus far, Yamabe has been accused of swindling two men out of 68 million yen. She admits to the allegations. Her accomplices have been accused of introducing other investors to the scheme.
In carrying out the ruse, she told the victims that she was involved in “bridge loans,” which are often used for short-term financing by large companies. She had claimed to pay the supposed investors interest of 25 percent for investments in which the principal was 100-percent guaranteed.
On March 30, Thai police arrested Yamabe at a gasoline station in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani for immigration violations.
