Tokyo court sentences 2 former 500.com officials

The Court has sentenced two supporters of the member of the parliament Tsukasa Akimoto to prison.

Japan.- The Tokyo District court has sentenced two former officials of 500.com to prison. Both were accused of violating the Punishment of Organised Crimes Act following a corruption case related to Japan’s IR projects.

The pair was accused of conspiring with House of Representatives member Tsukasa Akimoto. They both previously worked for Chinese online gaming firm 500.com, which is alleged to have paid Akimoto in a bid to gain an advantage in obtaining a licence to develop one of Japan’s first IRs.

According to the court’s ruling, the men committed bribery at a hotel in Naha city, telling a witness that he would be provided JP10m (US$96,400) if he agreed to commit perjury. A second offer of JPY20m was made in July. While the mastermind of the scheme was Akimoto, the prosecution said both defendants had maliciously obstructed justice.

The Court sentenced Akihito Awaji to one year and two months in prison with a suspended sentence of three years and Fumihiko Sato to one year in prison with a suspended sentence of three years.