Actor Haga acquitted of fraud, attempted blackmail

Friday 28th November, 03:47 PM JST

OSAKA —

Actor Kenji Haga was acquitted Friday on charges of defrauding a man of 370 million yen and attempting to blackmail him into writing off 400 million yen worth of debts. The Osaka District Court handed down a not-guilty ruling for Haga, 47, as well as for former professional boxer Jiro Watanabe, 53, who was charged with conspiracy with Haga in the blackmail attempt.

Presiding Judge Hiroyuki Nakagawa cited doubts about the testimony of the man who was alleged to have been defrauded and threatened. Haga, whose real name is Mikio Toma, was charged with defrauding a total of 370 million yen from an acquaintance between June and October in 2001 as payment for the unlisted stock of a medical consulting firm, which was three times higher than the actual cost of the stock. But the company went under before listing its stock, and the man demanded that Haga pay back 400 million yen as compensation, according to the prosecutors.

In collusion with Watanabe, a world championship holder, and two gangsters, Haga was then accused of coercing the man at a hotel in Osaka in June 2006 into signing a contract stating that the man will forgive the 400 million yen if Haga pays 10 million yen, the prosecutors said.

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9 Comments

Goals0 at 03:58 PM JST - 28th November

This is a strange story. Make this a 'very strange story'.
Peaceful_Man at 04:35 PM JST - 28th November

Wow, if you'd have believed the media coverage he was as guilty as sin, so much for the investigative power of the tabliod media
Altria at 04:58 PM JST - 28th November

Why was he palin' around with gangstas?
BBLeo at 06:06 PM JST - 28th November

All I can say that for such people is:'MONEY WALKS AND TALKS.'
GW at 07:08 PM JST - 28th November

wasnt this guy also married to some famous half/double whatever you want to call them whose oldman was also someone famous.........ah I seem to remember this thing yrs back & at the time it did seem he was looking pretty damned guilty, guess he has friends in high places
KobeKid at 07:22 PM JST - 28th November

yeah GW he was not married to but was going with Anna. Her father, can't remember the name, is also an actor married to a Russian lady. This guy had the debt problems and was playboy and Anna dumped him.
Samuraiiki at 07:29 PM JST - 28th November

Judge ought to be fired.
northlondon at 10:23 PM JST - 28th November

Judge Hiroyuki Nakagawa cited doubts about the testimony of the accuser ? And I suppose he was impressed by the integrity of the two gangsters who were in collusion with Haga and Watanabe ? He didn't actually believe the defence testimony of two gangsters did he ? Now I kind of understand why we see so many 'shachos' and 'talentos' in Japan with top-of-the-range cars, exclusive properties in exclusive parts of the country and money to throw around. This place is corrupt and full of dirty business such as this with 'businessmen' helping each other out.
butterfly1 at 11:54 PM JST - 30th November

Kobekid - wait a second... Anna Umemiya's ( the ex of this guy ) father, Tatsuo Umemiya is married to Claudia, an American not Russian.