Overview

• Between July 27 and 29, investigators detained Stash Cash’s de facto manager, its representative, and a former Recrutas executive on charges of fraud and misuse of notarized documents.
• Police allege that in August 2024 the suspects conspired to obtain a bogus notarized certificate to seize about ¥610 million from a Recrutas account frozen for special-fraud proceeds.
• Officials have tied at least five executions based on forged certificates to the misappropriation of roughly ¥3.4 billion, part of a larger pattern of 25 abusive enforcement attempts.
• Funds siphoned through the scheme were traced to personal accounts and reward payments, leading prosecutors to formally indict the arrested men and expand the investigation.
• The case has highlighted weaknesses in notary verification and court execution oversight, prompting calls for stricter checks after a February Supreme Court warning.