TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of an organized crime member believed to be behind multiple fraud scams involving fake pregnancy accusations, reports TBS News (April 23).
Officers took Daisuke Sugao, a 46-year-old member of the Inagawa-kai, and other suspect into custody for allegedly swindling a couple living in Koto Ward out of one million yen in October of last year.
One member of the ring telephoned the home pretending to be their son, who claimed to have gotten a woman pregnant and needed financial help in compensating her husband.
Sugao, who has been charged with fraud, has reportedly denied the allegations. “I don’t recall the matter at all,” the suspect is quoted by police.
According to police, the ring is believed to have defrauded a total of 37 million yen from a number of victims using the ruse.