The first court hearing was held on January 21 for a former fortune teller accused of defrauding a married couple with a false investment scheme, with the defendant declining to enter a plea. According to prosecutors, Noriko Tasei, 51, who is unemployed and has no fixed address, allegedly approached acquaintances in October 2018 with a fabricated plan involving embedding crystals into building foundations for resale profits. She is accused of fraud and related offenses involving approximately ¥16 million from the couple. Police estimate the total may reach ¥2 billion across multiple cases. At the Fukuoka District Court, Tasei withheld her position on the charges. In opening statements, prosecutors said the collected funds were used for credit card payments and family travel to Dubai. The defense said it would clarify its position in future proceedings. Source: KBC News / TNC News
Photo: KBC News
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