Police have arrested a 44-year-old man suspected of being a top executive of Prince Group, a multinational network accused of running vast scam centre operations, local media reported, citing police sources.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested Hu Shi, a Cypriot national, on June 14 on suspicion of falsifying documents, the Asahi newspaper and broadcaster NHK reported yesterday.
Two others, both Chinese nationals, were also arrested.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police declined to comment.
In an interview with Reuters on April 23, Hu denied being a leader of Prince Group.
According to local media, prosecutors have labelled him “second in command” under the group’s chairman, Chen Zhi.
Chen, founder of the conglomerate the United States alleges is a front for a multibillion-dollar online fraud and money laundering operation, was deported to China from Cambodia earlier this year.
Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, among others, have also seized assets or detained individuals linked to Prince Group.
In November, Prince Group denied any wrongdoing via a US law firm. — Reuters
