TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a real estate broker who is believed to have provided offices for fraud rings to use in their operations, reports TBS News (Nov. 2).
In July of last year, Kenta Kano, 36, allegedly arranged for the use of the name of a third party in the rental of an office in Yokohama to a ring that specializes in so-called “special frauds,” which are often investment-related scams.
Kano denies the allegations, telling the Ushigome Police Station that he “knows nothing [about the matter].”
Kano is a broker who introduces customers to real estate companies. Police believe that Kano asked Takuma Shimazu, the 38-year-old president of a real estate company, to arrange for the rental of at least five other properties, which are referred to as hako-ya (feces house), to fraud rings.
Thus far, police have twice arrested Shimazu for participation in deals for 20 residences.
