Japanese fraud ring leader nabbed in PHL

THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) arrested on Wednesday Japan’s most wanted fugitive, described as a “leader of a major fraud ring.”
BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente identified the 59-year-old suspect as Misao Koyama, who was nabbed in Manila in a joint operation of the BI-Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) and Tokyo Interpol.
Mr. Morente said Mr. Koyama is charged in his home country for allegedly forging private documents to sell other people’s land without consent.
BI FSU Chief Bobby R. Raquepo said Mr. Koyama and his eight-man fraud ring embezzled “billions of yen” from their victims in Japan.
Mr. Koyama will be held at the BI’s detention facility in Taguig City while awaiting deportation proceedings. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas