<figure id="attachment_290142" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290142" style="width: 1163px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="39ad79ee"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/IMG_9725.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290142" class="wp-caption-text">Mr. Sakakibara was allegedly the victim of extortion (Photo by Shinji Hasuo)</figcaption></figure>
 Mr. Sakakibara, a victim of extortion, said, &#8220;I have audio data that should not be released to the public. We have been asked to spread its contents to the press.&#8221;
 The two suspects allegedly threatened Nobuyuki Sakakibara, 59, the president of Dream Factory Worldwide, which operates the mixed martial arts organization RIZIN, at a restaurant in Tokyo. The two allegedly conspired to defraud him of the money.
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 On January 16, a joint task force of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department&#8217;s Anti-Gang Division arrested Shota Suzuki, 34, of Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, and Hajime Minegishi, 59, of Suginami Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of extortion. Between January and February last year, the suspects allegedly threatened Sakakibara and took 5 million yen in cash.
 The trouble was triggered by a report in a weekly magazine. It caused such a stir that Fuji Television, which was scheduled to broadcast the &#8220;RIZIN&#8221; matches live last June, canceled the live broadcast.
<figure id="attachment_290143" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290143" style="width: 3390px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9920de60"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/aflo_94266645.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290143" class="wp-caption-text"> RIZIN&#8221; has featured big matches between famous fighters such as Mayweather and Tenshin Nasukawa (Image: Reuters/Afro)</figcaption></figure>
 Last April, Sakakibara consulted the Metropolitan Police Department about the threats he was receiving from the suspects. The Minegishi suspects told the police that they were only asked by an acquaintance and that they did not intend to blackmail him. The Suzuki suspect denied committing the crime, saying, &#8220;I just gave the money I received to the Minegishi suspect.
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 The two suspects were engaged in their own activities. The Minegishi suspect opened his own video channel. He was uploading revealing stories from his past jobs, such as corruption related to the Tokyo Olympics and behind-the-scenes of martial arts fights.
 The suspect was an executive of a media company called Chuo Seikai-sha. It is a newspaper that reports on political and economic stories that are not reported by the major mass media. It not only publishes periodicals, but also engages in real estate sales and leasing,&#8221; said a reporter from the social affairs department of a national newspaper.
 RIZIN&#8221; has realized many big matches for famous fighters such as Mayweather, Tenshin Nasukawa, and Takeru. The problems surrounding anti-sha may continue to linger in the future.
<figure id="attachment_290144" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290144" style="width: 3500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e3deec1f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/aflo_94266148.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290144" class="wp-caption-text"> RIZIN&#8221; is deeply popular among martial arts fans (Image: Reuters/Afro)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_290147" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290147" style="width: 3500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="2b9b63ab"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/aflo_94266548.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290147" class="wp-caption-text"> RIZIN&#8221; is deeply rooted among martial arts fans (Image: Reuters/Afro)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_290148" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290148" style="width: 6000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="eab9b360"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/aflo_200602799.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290148" class="wp-caption-text"> The &#8220;bouquet-throwing incident&#8221; occurred before the Mayweather-Mirai Asakura fight last September. Sakakibara got down on his knees and apologized (Image: Motoo Naka/Afro)</figcaption></figure>

 Shinji Hasuo AP/Afro Reuters/Afro Motoo Naka/Afro

 Two men were arrested for extorting the representative of the management company of the mixed martial arts "RIZIN. The two suspects were arrested for blackmailing the representative of RIZIN, a mixed martial arts company, with audio data that suggested he was involved with antisocial forces and demanded money. We would like to introduce the unexpected activities of the two suspects.

RIZIN representative blackmailed with voice data: &#8220;We will support you if you pay us 5 million yen&#8221;&#8230; &#8220;The true faces and reputations of the two suspects&#8221;.

RIZIN representative blackmailed with voice data: “We will support you if you pay us 5 million yen”… “The true faces and reputations of the two suspects”.

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