TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two executives of an architectural design firm, including an 86-year-old woman, for allegedly swindling 14 million yen by presenting a forged contract for the renovation of a police station, reports TBS News (Sep. 24).
Masae Mandokoro, 86, the managing director of Mandokoro Sekkei, and Teruya Tashiro, a 65-year-old executive of an affiliated company, were arrested on suspicion of fraud, Tokyo police said.
In December two years ago, the pair allegedly targeted a man in his 30s, showing him a fabricated design commission contract. They falsely claimed they had been hired to renovate the the Higashimurayama Police Station and convinced the victim to loan them the money, assuring him, “We have upcoming payments from the renovation work, so we can repay you.”
Tokyo police have not disclosed whether the two suspects have admitted to the allegations.
Convincing forgery
Ironically, Mandokoro’s company had a legitimate history of receiving contracts from the Tokyo police to redesign local police boxes (koban).
Police allege that Tashiro used a computer to doctor a legitimate contract the company received in August 2023 for the reconstruction of the Akitsu 3-chome police box in Higashimurayama. Tashiro reportedly altered the contract period and inflated the project fee tenfold to approximately 50 million yen to create the convincing forgery.
Investigators believe the swindled 14 million yen was intended to pay off Mandokoro Sekkei’s mounting business debts.
According to police, Mandokoro had consulted Tashiro about finding an investor for business funds. In response, Tashiro allegedly proposed forging the police document. The suspects then utilized a financial broker to connect with the victim.
