5 years sought for ex-Nova president charged with embezzling

Friday 03rd July, 02:45 PM JST

OSAKA —

Prosecutors demanded five years in prison Friday for Nozomu Sahashi, former president of English conversation school operator Nova Corp., on a charge of embezzling 320 million yen in employment benefit funds shortly before the company went bankrupt in 2007. ‘‘I deeply apologize. Everything falls under my responsibility,’’ Sahashi, 57, told a trial hearing at the Osaka District Court. The court plans to hand down a ruling Aug. 26. He has admitted to diverting the money to refund tuition fees to those who canceled their contracts for language lessons due to financial restraints.

His defense counsel pleaded not guilty, saying the defendant had no intention to use the money to unlawfully gain profits. According to the indictment, Sahashi diverted about 320 million yen from an employment benefits fund on July 20, 2007, transferring the money to the bank account of an affiliate company. All the misappropriated money was used for reimbursement. Nova went bust in October 2007, leaving thousands of employees jobless and its students without refunds. Nagoya-based G.communication Co. took over some of Nova’s operations in November that year. Sahashi launched English conversation classes in Osaka in 1981 and set up Nova in 1990. His venture once grew into Japan’s largest chain of English schools, with some 480,000 people taking its language lessons at its peak, before going bankrupt.

Kyodo

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 21 Total Comments Show All

stirfry at 03:50 PM JST - 3rd July

bet its another suspended sentence
smithinjapan at 04:30 PM JST - 3rd July

Ridiculous! The guy's explanation is so see-through he should get more time just for letting it get out of his mouth. He should get more time anyway, seeing how many people he screwed out of jobs, and students out of money/lessons.

I never liked Nova, but some Japanese I know who attended lessons were more than happy with it (some not, but hey). I think it's a shame this one person was so greedy and selfish that the whole company collapsed as a result. It's no coincidence, in my opinion, that the company became kind of a scapegoat for the man, being that it employed mostly foreigners and was an Eikaiwa. Anyway, that's for another thread.
BurakuminDes at 04:50 PM JST - 3rd July

I guess it is all dependant on how much he has paid off to the judges...that's how things work here, isn't it?
medievaltimes at 05:44 PM JST - 3rd July

The Japanese legal system is a joke.
griff at 05:46 PM JST - 3rd July

there is a conspiracy theory that the reason nova went down, and possibly him too, is because he ruffled some real feathers in high places. if he hadn't done nova would've been protected or he would get the ol' suspended sentence. the question is, is he in the horiemon mould, or the ishihara mould. seems to me he's in the former
BeaverCleaver at 05:58 PM JST - 3rd July

If this dude walks, I think he better learn to duck fast when he sees what might be a disgruntled ex-Nova instructor.

Its always a pleasure to see crooks of such magnitude in court. Much more pleasureable to see them behind bars. Here is to hoping for that pleasure!
Mookoo at 06:07 PM JST - 3rd July

He had one of those executive shag chambers just like in the movie Rising Sun. How bad could he be?!
namabiru4me at 06:35 PM JST - 3rd July

If this dude walks, I think he better learn to duck fast when he sees what might be a disgruntled ex-Nova instructor.

He will be chauffeured in his car...no one will get close to him.
Farmboy at 06:42 PM JST - 3rd July

To see justice served, make it four years, and make him teach 9 classes of English a day to the other prisoners.
BBLeo at 07:46 PM JST - 3rd July

God forgive him for his sins but it wouldn't be forgiven to prosecutors and judges. Yes, legal system is a joke and people like him should be behind the bars for a very long time. WHY? 'Because they are driven by grid and exclusive life!!! If it was for me I'll hang him in the middle of TOKYO.
DentShop at 09:57 PM JST - 3rd July

BBLeo, you arent an English teacher with that level of diction.

I am glad Nova went down in the end because it was the kick in the butt I needed to get out of that vapid and uninspiring job, run by brainless automatons. I forgive Sahashi but he can do a couple of years for being a smug coward.
helloklitty at 10:21 PM JST - 3rd July

To see justice served, make it four years, and make him teach 9 classes of English a day to the other prisoners.

Hey, I used to do that!

I'm so glad Nova went out of business as I now make as much money teaching only two or three lessons a day.

BBLeo, you arent an English teacher with that level of diction.

Good comment, but it's "aren't".
DentShop at 10:25 PM JST - 3rd July

Apostrophes are redundant. I am just a bit postmodern with that sort of stuff. Sorry, I know - off topic....
bobbafett at 11:29 PM JST - 3rd July

If this dude walks, I think he better learn to duck fast when he sees what might be a disgruntled ex-Nova instructor

like a gaijin here would really have the guts to lay one out on him? it would never happen.
mindovermatter at 12:18 PM JST - 4th July

Gee.... Missing from the story is any mention of him being ordered to repay the money...

What a legal system.... but what a country....

Laws made by 12 year olds, for 12 year olds...