Ferrari, Fake Credit Cards, and a Nefarious Couple’s Trial

Starting a confrontation while riding in a Ferrari.

The first trial for Yuki Nomura (30, arrested at the time), who was charged with fraud for purchasing goods with a credit card that was fraudulently created after confronting a truck driver and taking a photo of their driver’s license while chasing the truck in a luxury car, was held on November 13 at the Tokyo District Court.

The three suspects, Takato Saito (32, arrested at the time), his wife Chika Saito (33, arrested at the time), and Yuki Nomura (a temp worker from Yokohama, Kanagawa), drove luxury cars such as a Ferrari and Lamborghini that they leased, chased a truck on the highway, confronted the driver, and took a photo of the driver’s license. They were arrested for fraud by September 4 for using a fraudulent credit card to purchase products.

FRIDAY captured the three suspects entering the police station on September 3, 2024 (published on September 9, 2024). Takato Saito glared at the media with a defiant expression, while Chika Saito appeared to be smiling, showing her gums. On the other hand, Yuuki Nomura, who admitted to the crime, was hunched over and looked down with his shoulders slumped.

According to the indictment, Nomura, along with Takato and Chika, chased the truck in their luxury cars, and then confronted the driver, claiming.

“A bolt flew and hit the vehicle, causing damage.”

They took a photo of the driver’s license and used the image to create a fraudulent credit card. They are suspected of purchasing a smartphone at an electronics store in Osaka. The group of criminals called 110 (emergency number) and, after being encouraged by the police to settle the matter between themselves, had the truck driver exchange contact information by showing their driver’s license, which they photographed.

“They opened a bank account with a fraudulent driver’s license and created a credit card. They also meticulously received the credit card at an apartment rented under the driver’s name. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Revenue Control Division has confiscated 34 credit cards belonging to nine people, and it was found that approximately 40 million yen was fraudulently used” (investigative source).

 

The defendants have a master-servant relationship that dates back to their university days.

The defendant, Nomura, who appeared in court wearing a gray sweat suit, slouched his back and appeared exhausted as he listened to the indictment read aloud by the prosecutor. When asked about the charges, he emotionlessly acknowledged, “There’s no mistake.”

In stark contrast to Nomura, the image from his arrest showed Saitou, who had blonde hair, dark skin, and a muscular build. Chika, his wife, was noted for her long blonde hair.

“Saitou had participated in bodybuilding competitions and was physically fit. He lived with Chika in a high-rise apartment, wore luxury brands, and drove high-end cars. If a truck driver was confronted by Saitou, with his strong build and high-end fashion, they likely felt intimidated,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s society section.

The contrast between the confident couple and Nomura, who worked as a temp, gave the impression of a highly imbalanced relationship. What connected them? The courtroom revealed a systematized method of committing crimes and the strange relationship between the Saitou couple and Nomura.

It turns out that Saitou and Nomura were senior and junior members of the canoe club at university. For some reason, Chika contacted Nomura, leading to a rekindling of the relationship with Saitou. This eventually led Nomura to become involved in the fraud scheme.

“Nomura only received a 10-20% commission, as set by the Saitou couple. Saitou and Nomura had a master-servant relationship from their university days, and Nomura couldn’t refuse their invitation to join in the crime. While their relationship might have ended after graduation, it seems that social media has allowed old connections to continue. It seems that the old relationship persisted for longer than it should have,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s legal section.

It appears that Saitou may have controlled Nomura through fear. In recent cases of illegal side jobs, many suspects have admitted, “I thought I would be killed if I refused,” raising concerns about the increasing number of such crime groups.

 

Nomura, the suspect who has admitted to the crime (photo has been partially edited).