TOKYO (Jan 11, 2025) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Koji Suzuki, a 33-year-old man, last Friday after he returned to Japan from Thailand. Suzuki is suspected of being involved in a large-scale fraud ring that preyed on elderly victims by posing as government employees.
Suzuki, who is believed to have served as a “caller” for the ring, allegedly contacted a 68-year-old woman in 2022, pretending to be a city hall employee. During the call, he informed her that she was eligible for a refund on her nursing care insurance premiums. He then convinced her to transfer approximately 500,000 yen into a bank account controlled by the fraud group. The funds were later withdrawn using an ATM.
Upon his arrest at Haneda Airport, Suzuki reportedly stated, “I want to consult with a lawyer.”
Police have linked Suzuki to a series of crimes, with the Organized Crime Division confirming around 120 cases of fraud across 30 prefectures between March and June 2022. The total amount stolen from victims is estimated to be around 100 million yen.
The criminal operation’s headquarters, an apartment in Setagaya Ward, was discovered by police in June 2022. The operation, led by a senior member of the Yamaguchi-gumi criminal syndicate, targeted elderly individuals using a list of names.
So far, 10 members of the fraud ring have been arrested, with nine facing indictments. Suzuki had fled to Thailand following a crackdown by police but was finally apprehended upon his return to Japan.
