TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 52-year-old former lawyer who publicly marketed himself as a fierce advocate for sex crime victims on suspicion of pocketing settlement money intended for a female client, reports TBS News (June 17).
Manabu Kishimoto is accused of professional embezzlement after he allegedly kept 300,000 yen in March 2023. The funds were paid by an offender to settle a voyeurism case, but rather than passing the money to the female victim who hired him, Kishimoto kept the cash for himself.
The woman reportedly sought out Kishimoto after seeing his online advertisements, which touted his expertise in handling groping (chikan) and voyeurism (tosatsu) cases.
Escorted into the Atago Police Station, Kishimoto admitted to the allegations during questioning, reportedly telling investigators, “There is no mistake.”
“Strong weapon”
On his website, the disgraced lawyer had promised to fight for his clients, writing: “For victims suffering from crimes such as groping and voyeurism, I aim for a ‘satisfactory resolution.'” He frequently appeared in the media as a legal expert and even authored a book encouraging women to use the law as a “strong weapon” against sexual harassment.
However, investigators believe his advocacy was a front for systemic theft. Police suspect that over a one-year period beginning in April 2022, Kishimoto embezzled more than 13 million yen in settlement funds from 10 different clients.
Following revelations of his financial misconduct, the Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association expelled Kishimoto and stripped him of his legal credentials in May of last year.
Police are continuing to investigate the full scope of his crimes, operating under the belief that the former lawyer funneled the stolen settlement money into paying off his residential mortgage.
