Haruyuki Takahashi, a former executive of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee and central figure in a corruption scandal surrounding the selection of the Games’ sponsors, and one of his closest business partners, are suspected of accepting bribes from advertising firms. A source close to the matter said Wednesday.
Takahashi and Kazumasa Fukami, former executives of Dentsu, Japan’s largest advertising agency, are suspected of using the consulting firm they are currently headed to receive money.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (left) waves the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2021. The next Summer Games will be in Paris in his 2024. (joint) == joint
The two announced on Tuesday that they would receive about 15 million yen (about ¥15 million) from Daiko between January 2019 and February 2022 ( A new arrest warrant has been issued for receiving $103,000. The operator of a conversation school aiming to sponsor the Summer Games.
Haruyuki Takahashi. (Kyodo)
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating deposit and withdrawal records, and suspects that at least several million yen in bribes paid by the Grand Duke to Fukami’s company was transferred to Takahashi’s company.
Sources said the two consulting firms, which share the name “Commons,” had close business ties, with some of the revenue raised by Fukami’s firm going to Takahashi’s firm.
Fukami’s company “Commons 2” produced a commercial for a client introduced by Takahashi, a former boss of Dentsu who has a wide range of connections in the sports world.
The bribery allegations add to a series of corruption allegations against Takahashi.
A former executive director of Dentsu has been charged with accepting bribes of about ¥51 million from business suit company Aoki Holdings and about ¥76 million from major publisher Kadokawa for helping to secure game sponsors. . .
In the Kadokawa case, the prosecution also suspected that Fukami used a consulting firm.
Takahashi and Fukami transferred 76 million yen to Fukami’s company after being asked by Kadokawa executives and another employee at the publisher to help select the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics as sponsors. There is a suspicion that he instructed Kadokawa.
In the Ohiro case, an officer of Ohiro allegedly instructed Fukami’s company to transfer 15 million yen.
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