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Man posed as investment banker in ¥8 million swindle of woman met at bar

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 34-year-old man over the alleged swindle of a woman he met at a bar, reports TBS News (Aug. 27).

Makoto Baba, a company employee, allegedly defrauded the woman, aged in her 40s, out of 8.35 million yen while they were engaged in a relationship.

“I am a representative of an investment company,” the suspect reportedly told the woman. “Let’s aim for 100 million savings in 10 years for both of us. If you invest, the return could be up to 500,000 yen a month.”

Makoto Baba (Twitter)

Baba denies the allegations. “The money [obtained from the woman] was managed as an investment,” the suspect was quoted by the Chofu Police Station.

According to police, Baba met the woman at a bar in Kobe City in June of last year. During their relationship, he used a fake name.

Other women have also come forward to claim they are the victims of similar scams carried out by the suspect. In one of those cases, he has been prosecuted.