Ex - Tokyo Games Executive Served 4th Arrest Warrant For Bribery Case
Japanese prosecutors have arrested a former executive of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee on a fresh warrant for accepting bribes.
The warrant is the fourth for Takahashi Haruyuki and brings the estimated total of bribes he is being investigated for to more than 190 million yen, or about 1.3 million dollars.
Takahashi was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of receiving 54 million yen from two firms in exchange for providing favorable treatment in business related to the Games.
Prosecutors in Tokyo also arrested the head of major advertising agency ADK Holdings, Ueno Shinichi, and his two former subordinates. The three were allegedly involved in giving money totaling 47 million yen to Takahashi from November 2017 through last January.
Takahashi is suspected to have received the money in exchange for helping the company win a Games' sponsorship contract.
Takahashi is also suspected of accepting 7 million yen in bribes from Sun Arrow, the company that sold licensed merchandise related to the Games' official mascots, from October 2018 through April last year.
Sources close to the matter said about 27 million yen of the bribes from the two companies may have been remitted to a consulting firm headed by Takahashi's acquaintance.
Prosecutors have not disclosed whether the four arrested men have admitted to the allegations.
In relation to Games' sponsorship deals, Takahashi has already been indicted for bribery charges involving apparel maker Aoki Holdings, publishing house Kadokawa and advertising agency Daiko.