ID :
129547
Fri, 06/25/2010 - 00:45
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https://www.oananews.org//node/129547
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Police arrest ex-sumo wrestler for blackmailing Kotomitsuki
TOKYO, June 24 Kyodo -
Tokyo police arrested a former sumo wrestler Thursday on suspicion of extorting
around 3.5 million yen from ozeki Kotomitsuki in connection with illegal
gambling on professional baseball games.
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Mitsutomo Furuichi, the 38-year-old
brother of an active wrestler of the Onomatsu stable who has admitted
involvement in gambling.
According to the police, Furuichi described himself as a former gang member. He
has admitted to receiving 3.5 million yen in cash from Kotomitsuki but has
denied it was hush money, saying it was a reward for collecting winnings due to
the wrestler, who holds the second-highest rank of the top division.
Kotomitsuki is suspected of habitual involvement in the gambling, having
incurred debts of tens of millions of yen as a result. The police are likely to
consider whether to build a criminal case against him as well.
Last December, Kotomitsuki tried to collect 5 million yen in winnings through
an intermediary, who informed him that Furuichi owed him some money,
investigative sources said.
Kotomitsuki sought to collect the money through Furuichi's brother by using a
29-year-old hairdresser at the Onomatsu stable as an intermediary.
The following month, Furuichi, who was a wrester in the minor makushita rank,
extorted money from Kotomitsuki also by using the hairdresser to convey a
message that, ''I know you are gambling on baseball. You would be in big
trouble if it became known to the mass media or police. I might also tell your
stablemaster,'' one of the sources said.
After the ozeki paid 3.5 million yen, Furuichi allegedly asked him for
additional hush money of more than 100 million yen.
Kotomitsuki subsequently consulted three stablemasters -- Otake, Sanoyama and
Tokitsukaze.
Stablemaster Otake was present at a meeting between Furuichi and Kotomitsuki to
negotiate the payment of the hush money, which was held during the 15-day
Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka in March. A man who is believed to be a
gang member was also present at the meeting, the sources said.
The Japan Sumo Association, the sport's governing body, released a brief
statement following Furuichi's arrest that it will ''watch how the
investigation proceeds.''
The JSA is also conducting investigations through a third-party committee after
65 wrestlers admitted to gambling, including 29 that confessed to involvement
in gambling on baseball games.
It is set to decide on July 4 whether to hold a tournament in Nagoya later that
month as scheduled amid strong public criticism over the scandal and growing
calls that it should not hold the tourney without fully dealing with the
matter.
==Kyodo
Tokyo police arrested a former sumo wrestler Thursday on suspicion of extorting
around 3.5 million yen from ozeki Kotomitsuki in connection with illegal
gambling on professional baseball games.
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Mitsutomo Furuichi, the 38-year-old
brother of an active wrestler of the Onomatsu stable who has admitted
involvement in gambling.
According to the police, Furuichi described himself as a former gang member. He
has admitted to receiving 3.5 million yen in cash from Kotomitsuki but has
denied it was hush money, saying it was a reward for collecting winnings due to
the wrestler, who holds the second-highest rank of the top division.
Kotomitsuki is suspected of habitual involvement in the gambling, having
incurred debts of tens of millions of yen as a result. The police are likely to
consider whether to build a criminal case against him as well.
Last December, Kotomitsuki tried to collect 5 million yen in winnings through
an intermediary, who informed him that Furuichi owed him some money,
investigative sources said.
Kotomitsuki sought to collect the money through Furuichi's brother by using a
29-year-old hairdresser at the Onomatsu stable as an intermediary.
The following month, Furuichi, who was a wrester in the minor makushita rank,
extorted money from Kotomitsuki also by using the hairdresser to convey a
message that, ''I know you are gambling on baseball. You would be in big
trouble if it became known to the mass media or police. I might also tell your
stablemaster,'' one of the sources said.
After the ozeki paid 3.5 million yen, Furuichi allegedly asked him for
additional hush money of more than 100 million yen.
Kotomitsuki subsequently consulted three stablemasters -- Otake, Sanoyama and
Tokitsukaze.
Stablemaster Otake was present at a meeting between Furuichi and Kotomitsuki to
negotiate the payment of the hush money, which was held during the 15-day
Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka in March. A man who is believed to be a
gang member was also present at the meeting, the sources said.
The Japan Sumo Association, the sport's governing body, released a brief
statement following Furuichi's arrest that it will ''watch how the
investigation proceeds.''
The JSA is also conducting investigations through a third-party committee after
65 wrestlers admitted to gambling, including 29 that confessed to involvement
in gambling on baseball games.
It is set to decide on July 4 whether to hold a tournament in Nagoya later that
month as scheduled amid strong public criticism over the scandal and growing
calls that it should not hold the tourney without fully dealing with the
matter.
==Kyodo
