Prosecutors Conduct Raid Related To Bribery Allegations
Japanese prosecutors are gathering information in a bribery scandal related to the Tokyo Olympics. They have raided the home of a former chairman of a Games sponsor. Aoki Hironori is suspected of illegally paying money to a former executive of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
A team of prosecutors entered Aoki's home in Tokyo Wednesday morning. He has reportedly told them he believed a former executive named Takahashi Haruyuki could hold influence over decisions around the Olympics.
Takahashi was a high ranking employee at advertising firm, Dentsu. It had a hand in selecting sponsors for the Games. They included business suit retailer Aoki Holdings which Aoki founded and once led.
It's believed that Aoki Holdings paid a company owned by Takahashi hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees.
Aoki Holdings signed a sponsorship agreement with the organizing committee, allowing it to sell suits and other items with Olympic emblems.
Tokyo prosecutors searched Takahashi's residence and Dentsu's headquarters on Tuesday.
Prosecutors are expected to look over confiscated material to track the flow of funds.
It's against the law for organizing committee members to accept money or gifts related to their duties.
Takahashi has told NHK that he never doled out favors related to the Games.