CHIBA (TR) – Police here have arrested a 31-year-old woman who is suspected of embezzling around 150 million yen from an infant home in Chiba Prefecture to feed an online gambling habit, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 29).
Tomoko Nomura, a self-proclaimed part-time worker residing in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, was arrested by Chiba Prefectural Police for allegedly siphoning 1.15 million yen from the facility’s bank account.
Upon her arrest, she admitted to the allegations, telling investigators, “I wanted money to bet at online casinos.”
Nomura, who was in charge of accounting duties at the infant home in Isumi City, is accused of transferring cash from ATMs into her personal bank account on multiple occasions between November 2024 and March 2025.
According to police, the suspect began working at the facility in January 2024. The crime came to light in May 2025 after representatives from the infant home contacted the Isumi Police Station to report that an employee had “gone incommunicado.” A subsequent review of the facility’s accounts revealed the embezzlement.
While the current arrest pertains to the theft of 1.15 million yen, police revealed that approximately 150 million yen in unauthorized withdrawals have been discovered in the facility’s accounts. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the massive shortfall.
