TOKYO (TR) – Prosecutors have decided not to indict entertainer Haga Kenji, 63, for attempting to avoid seizure of real estate he had purchased.
Haga, whose real name is Mikio Tono, was arrested in September of this year along with six others — including a member of the Kodo-kai criminal syndicate — on suspicion of obstruction of compulsory execution and other charges, reports NHK (Dec. 6).
They were accused of falsely registering a building and land Haga had personally purchased in Okinawa Prefecture in June of last year under his own company’s name in order to avoid seizure.
Haga and the other seven were subsequently released with charges pending. The investigation continued on a voluntary basis, but on the Friday prosecutors decided not to indict any of them.
The reason for non-indictment was not been disclosed.
Medical consulting company
This is not Haga’s first brush with the law. In 2008, he was acquitted on charges of fraud and attempted extortion by the Osaka District Court.
In that case, Haga and former world boxing champion Jiro Watanabe were arrested the year before for swindling about 370 million yen from a private investor.
Police said at the time that sold shares in a medical consulting company to the investor at a hugely inflated price. When the investor attempted to his money back following the company’s bankruptcy, they then threatened him.
Haga and Watanabe both denied the charges. In handing down the ruling, the presiding judge said there was reasonable doubt in the victim’s testimony.
