KATHMANDU, JULY 4
Tokyo Metropolitan Police has arrested two Nepali nationals- a man and his father-for posing as ‘Shohei Otani’ online in order to defraud an elderly woman in Minato Ward.
According to a Nippon TV News24 Japan report published on June 24, Suman Kumar Niure, 26, allegedly worked with his father, Sharma Padma Nath, 44, impersonating the Los Angeles Dodgers star on social media to defraud an 80-year-old woman in Minato Ward of 1 million yen last November, according to several Japanese media outlets, including the Tokyo Reporter.
As per media reports, both father-son duo lived in Adachi Ward in Tokyo.
As per the media reports, police said both suspects have admitted to charges of fraud.
According to Nippon TV News24 Japan, Niure discovered the woman on Facebook and sent false messages to her via the chat app Line while posing as Ohtani for several months.
“I am the best person in the world, so my insurance premiums are extremely high. I’ve paid tens of millions of yen in insurance premiums, but it’s insufficient. I want you to pay me one million yen in insurance premiums,” wrote Niure to the woman to scam her, as per Japanese media reports.
As per the TV report, Niure had also promised to return the money. Having gained the woman’s trust as Ohtani, he went to her house to receive money.
Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese superstar professional baseball pitcher and designated hitter (DH), made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2018.
As per Forbes magazine, Ohtani earns an estimated $100 million per year from endorsements and other business ventures.