Three individuals, including a 38-year-old Chinese company employee, have been arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of organized fraud and other charges for their alleged involvement in impersonating police officers. The suspects have not disclosed their plea. The police believe that the group, led by the Chinese suspect, was based in Cambodia and defrauded victims of approximately 5 billion yen between August last year and January this year.

According to the Special Investigation Division, the other two arrested individuals are a 31-year-old unemployed man with no fixed address and a 36-year-old Chinese national with an unknown occupation. The unemployed suspect is believed to have managed individuals who made fraudulent phone calls, while the Chinese suspect is thought to have directed the transfer of stolen funds.

The three are suspected of making false phone calls to three individuals nationwide in 2023, claiming things like “Your account has been used fraudulently, and you are under suspicion of crime. You need to transfer cash for investigation purposes,” and defrauding them of a total of approximately 35 million yen.

The Chinese suspect is also suspected of laundering 10 million yen from these fraud proceeds by transferring it to a real estate agency as part of a down payment for a luxury condominium.

Down Payment of Approximately 60 Million Yen, Condominium Price Estimated at Hundreds of Millions of Yen

According to investigative sources, the condominium is believed to be worth hundreds of millions of yen, with a down payment of approximately 60 million yen. The 10 million yen related to the arrest charges was transferred to the real estate agency’s account about three minutes after the fraudulent funds were deposited. This is reportedly the first confirmed case where money from this group’s fraud schemes was used for condominium purchases.

Additionally, there are indications that stolen funds may have been used for purchases of pearls and luxury foreign cars like Ferraris. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department believes the group was attempting to launder money.

More than 20 people have been arrested so far in connection with this group for their alleged involvement in special fraud cases.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD) is the primary law enforcement body for Japan’s capital, established in 1874 during the Meiji Restoration to create a modern police force. It is headquartered in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo’s central government district, and is responsible for policing the metropolis, including security for the Imperial Palace and national government institutions.

Cambodia

Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation most renowned for the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex, the world’s largest religious monument. This site, built in the 12th century, was the heart of the powerful Khmer Empire, which dominated the region for centuries. The country’s more recent history includes the devastating Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s, from which it continues to recover and rebuild its cultural heritage.

Special Investigation Division

I am unable to provide a summary for “Special Investigation Division” as it is not a specific, widely recognized place or cultural site. This term typically refers to a department or unit within an organization, such as a police force or government agency, responsible for handling major or sensitive cases, rather than a physical location with a public history.