TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday announced the bust of a fraud ring that targeted senior citizens and included an organized crime member, reports TBS News (June 1).
In March of last year, the ring operated by Masaru Motohashi, a 45-year-old member of the Sumiyoshi-kai, allegedly defrauded nine million yen from an elderly couple in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture.
In carrying out the scam, a member of the group posed as the victim’s son on the telephone. The impersonator said that he had lost a bank check from his company on the train and needed money to place it.
Motohashi has denied the allegations.
Between January of last year and March, the suspects collected approximately 50 million yen from primarily elderly victims, reports Fuji News Network (July 2). According to police, a portion of the revenue was used to fund the gang.