TOKYO (TR) – A member of a felony syndicate is amongst 9 suspects in custody for allegedly focusing on aged individuals within the sale of used flats at unreasonably excessive costs.
The suspects are believed to have defrauded victims out of greater than 700 million yen, in keeping with Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 25).
Kanichi Ishii is the 42-year-old president of Kotobuki Real Estate. Ishii, who can also be a senior member of a company affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai, and the eight different suspects stand accused of fraud.
Between May and August 2011, Ishii and his accomplices are suspected of defrauding a complete of 62.16 million yen from victims of their 70s and 80s residing in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture
The suspects informed the victims that they’d obtain rental earnings that will exceed what they’d get in the event that they deposited their cash in a checking account.
They then offered three flats that had been bought for between 2.6 million and three million yen for between 20 million to 22.16 million yen.
Police haven’t revealed whether or not Ishii and the opposite suspects have admitted to the crime. They consider the funds had been being funneled to organized crime.
“She had absolutely no idea”
Between June 2022 and October 2023, Ishii and his group are believed to have bought properties at low costs and offered them to 39 aged individuals for as much as 17 occasions the acquisition value, grossing a complete of roughly 750 million yen, stories TBS news (Feb. 25).
In one case, a lady in her 80s who suffers from dementia bought a unit in a 32-year-old house constructing in Kanagawa Prefecture for 16 million yen. According to a relative, Ishii and his accomplices had bought the unit for 1.3 million yen, lower than one-tenth of the worth they offered it to the girl.
“She had absolutely no idea she’d bought real estate,” the relative says.
Ishii and his accomplices focused aged individuals utilizing a “list specifically for the elderly.” According to police, the “list” contained tens of 1000’s of names, addresses and telephone numbers.
Using data, the 9 suspects made gross sales calls and visited properties. They introduced items and took them out to eat to acquire detailed details about their monetary state of affairs. They then offered them studio flats that had been a long time outdated and situated in Tokyo and numerous prefectures, together with Ibaraki, Gunma and Aichi.
The aged victims are believed to be women and men aged between 70 and 94. Ishii and his accomplices focused solely these over 70 years outdated and lived alone.
Furthermore, they’re believed to have different the sum of money they defrauded relying on the aged particular person’s monetary state of affairs, promoting the property for as much as 17 occasions the acquisition value.
“She had absolutely no idea”
Takanori Sakai is a lawyer specializing fraud focusing on the aged. He says, “Elderly people living alone are particularly vulnerable. Their cognitive abilities can gradually decline without them even realizing it.”
As a countermeasure, he suggests the using of an “adult guardianship system,” whereby family members handle property on behalf of people with impaired judgment.
Sakai says, “If there are any suspicious circumstances regarding the management of assets, please consider using the adult guardianship system. If an adult guardian is in place, you can say that you are terminating the contract.”