TOKYO — Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a Nepalese man and his father for allegedly impersonating baseball star Shohei Ohtani in an elaborate online scam that defrauded an elderly woman of ¥1 million (approximately $6,880).
The suspects, 26-year-old Niure Suman Kumar and his father, 44-year-old Sharma Padma Nath, both residing in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, were taken into custody on Tuesday and have admitted to the allegations, according to police sources.
Investigators believe Kumar received the money from the victim, a woman in her 80s living in Minato Ward, as part of a larger fraud scheme involving multiple conspirators. The exact details remain under investigation.
Police say the suspects initially contacted the woman through Facebook, posing as Shohei Ohtani. Over several months, they maintained contact via the Line messaging app and eventually asked for money, claiming it was an “insurance fee.”
Kumar further impersonated Ohtani’s agent and arranged to meet the victim, receiving cash near her residence.
Authorities continue to investigate the case to uncover the full scope of the fraudulent network.
