Key Facts
• November 2024: Two men visited a 73-year-old woman in Nagoya.
• Claimed her kitchen water heater pipe was corroding and needed replacement.
• Attempted to defraud her of 500,000 yen under false pretenses.
• Suspects: Tomoaki Umeki (34), head of “Kurashi One,” and Yosuke Kurosaka (27).
• Tomoaki’s brother, Ryota Umeki (26), also arrested for similar charges.
• “Kurashi One” had 217 contracts from June 2023 to February 2025.
• Over 60% of clients were elderly, aged 80 or above.
• Company earned over 100 million yen during this period.
• Police suspect repeated targeting of elderly individuals.
• Investigation ongoing, including potential links to “Tokuryu.”
Summary
Two men, including the head of a renovation company, were arrested in Nagoya for attempting to defraud a 73-year-old woman by falsely claiming her water heater pipe needed replacement. They sought 500,000 yen under this pretense. A third suspect, the company head’s brother, was also arrested. The company, “Kurashi One,” reportedly targeted elderly individuals, with over 60% of its clients aged 80 or older, earning over 100 million yen from 217 contracts between June 2023 and February 2025. Police are investigating potential connections to similar crimes and a group known as “Tokuryu.”
