TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a student at Nihon University who once played on the rugby team for allegedly recruiting another former player to participate in a fraud ring, reports TBS News (June 7).
The ring swindled a woman in her 70s and living in Chofu City out three of her bank cards in February. In carrying out the ruse, a member of the ring posed as a bank employee on the telephone, falsely telling the woman that her bank cards needed to be exchanged “due to a recent increase in card-skimming cases leading up to the Olympic Games.”
Yuta Imamura then arrived at the residence to collect the cards. A total of 1.5 million yen in cash was later withdrawn from her accounts, the Chofu Police Station said.
According to police, Taketo Fujishima, 20, a third-year student, introduced Imamura to participate in the ring. “I do not understand why I was arrested,” Fujishima was quoted by police in denying the allegations.
Until 2018, Fujima and Imamura played for the rugby team. To apprehend Imamura in March, police used a thumb print and signature that he provided to the woman upon arrival at her residence. The woman requested the items for identification purposes, police said.
During the subsequent investigation into Imamura, police learned of the introduction by Fujishima.
