TOKYO (TR) – Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of a member of a criminal syndicate for allegedly lending money to a woman in debt at a host club at an illegal interest rate, reports TBS News (Mar. 19).
Between July and September 2022, Taiyo Taguchi, a 36-year-old member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, allegedly received the equivalent of 891,000 yen in interest from the woman, aged in her 20s.
Police previously said that he amount exceeds that allowed under the Investment Law.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of charging high interest rates last month, Taguchi, who lives in Toshima Ward, denied the allegations. He said, “I have absolutely no recollection of lending money or receiving interest.”
The woman owed approximately 800,000 yen to a host club in the Kabukicho red-light district of Shinjuku Ward. She then borrowed 250,000 yen from Taguchi in March 2022.
On Wednesday, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office stated that they decided not to indict Taguchi. The office said the decision was “based on the details of the case and the content of the relevant evidence collected through thorough investigation.”
