TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Tuesday arrested the husband of former Morning Musume member Ai Kago, 26, on charges of loan sharking, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Oct. 28).
Last Thursday, police announced the issuing of an arrest warrant for Haruhiko Kago, 47, for allegedly loaning 2.5 million yen to an acquaintance in September of last year at a rate of interest considered illegal.
The suspect turned himself over to officers on Tuesday afternoon at the Kasumigaseki Police Station.
Police had already arrested and Tatsuo Ozawa, a 43-year-old member of the Kodo-kai organized crime group, an affiliated gang of the Yamaguchi-gumi, on the same charges.
Kago, who collected 750,000 yen in interest from the victim, has reportedly denied the charges. “Although a loan was executed, I don’t recall the details,” the suspect is quoted by police.
In September of 2011, Haruhiko Kago, who at the time used the surname Ando, was arrested for attempted extortion. She was interviewed by police at the time of the arrest.
Later that same month, Ai Kago attempted suicide by slashing her wrists inside her apartment in Tokyo.
In December of 2011, the Kago and Ando were married. The following June she gave birth to a girl.
Ai Kago is now a member of the idol unit Girls Beat.
