Former Executive’s Fraud: 100 Million Yen Marriage Proposal Deceit

When the man came out of the police station, there was no sign of remorse on his face. He got into a transport vehicle with an indifferent eye on the road ahead.

On March 1, the Kojimachi Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of Shogo Miyayama, 32, a former employee of a foreign financial company living in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, on suspicion of fraud. In August 2008, Miyayama allegedly swindled Ms. A, a doctor in her 30s with whom he was in a relationship, out of approximately 7 million yen in cash. He admitted to the police that he knew it was illegal, but thought he could return the money eventually.

The two met on a matching app, and Miyayama deceived her by telling her that he had earned an MBA in the U.S. and was working for a local financial institution.

According to the police, even after they started dating, Miyayama continued to convince Ms. A that he came from a respectable family with the following sophomoric argument: “My grandfather made a fortune in oil.

My grandfather is a wealthy man who made a fortune in oil and drives a luxury car in Saudi Arabia. He owns a lot of real estate in Japan and abroad.

He has a plot of land in Shoto (in the upscale residential area of Shibuya Ward) and is building a new mansion where they can live together in the future.”

The suspect Miyayama further solicited Ms. A, “I want you to put 10 million yen in my account as a gift tax and inheritance tax measure after our marriage. He solicited Ms. A , saying, “I want you to purchase the bank’s bonds. The suspect is alleged to have swindled her out of approximately 7 million yen. The suspect Miyayama told the police, “I used the money to invest in stocks,” and also stated, “There were about 10 people, including other female doctors, who were involved in the scheme.

He also said, “I swindled about 10 other doctors, including a female doctor, out of 100 million yen.”

The incident came to light in an unexpected way. An internal investigation at the financial company where Miyayama worked revealed that he had illegally obtained cash from customers. The company dismissed Miyayama in May 2011 on disciplinary grounds and reported the matter to the police.

Miyayama is alleged to have exploited Ms. A for approximately 25 million yen alone.