Originally posted in November 2009:
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement have announced that they will share more than $60,000 in assets seized from yakuza Susumu Kajiyama with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Kajiyama is documented in “The Emperor of Loan Sharks” (pages 213-236) in Tokyo Vice, and Special Agent Mike Cox, who appeared in the 60 Minutes clip, was instrumental in the investigation as was Special Agent Jerry Kawai.
In January 2005, ICE agents executed three federal seizure warrants targeting Los Angeles and Las Vegas bank accounts belonging to Kajiyama, 60, who is currently serving a 6 ½ year sentence in Japan on loan sharking charges. As a result of those warrants, ICE agents in Los Angeles seized two bank accounts containing approximately $342,000 from the Union Bank of California. ICE agents in Las Vegas executed a third seizure warrant targeting an account containing $250,000 in Kajiyama’s name at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. ICE agents in Los Angeles and Las Vegas coordinated closely with the agency’s attaché office in Tokyo and the Nevada Gaming Control Board on the case.
So, if I have read everything correctly, the casino’s Tokyo offices would basically launder the money for Kajiyama-san by picking up cash (in Japan) and then depositing it in stateside casino accounts.
When the casino found out that Kajiyama-san was being investigated they started to “cooperate”. This was probably because they knew of the illegalities.
I don’t understand why the casino gets a kickback from ICE for giving up the laundered money.
That’s more or less correct. Although I can’t get into specifics because I don’t want to be sued by a surly casino. The casino doesn’t get a kickback—the Nevada Gaming Comission which is an amazing regulatory and investigative organization in Las Vegas does get a little bit of a cash reward, if I understand it correctly. ICE did an amazing job on that case.
Sorry, I wasn’t making the distinction between the commission and casino itself. It still seems a bit self serving due to the cross pollination that happens between the casinos and the commission but at least there is some separation. Thanks for the clarification!
PS. Would you happen to know where I can dig up information on Uyoku groups in Miyazaki? Specifically looking for info on Nippon Domei and Miyazaki-shi no Kawano family. If you remember the Giants baseball player that was blackmailed after spring training in Miyazaki around 2002 that’s the group that I’m trying to find… It’s hard to find objective info, especially since I’m not living there now
Speaking of the intersection between the authorities and organized crime, you should do a piece on Alberto Fujimori and his (now ex) second wife, Kataoka Satomi. She’s apparently a Zainichi Korean with family ties to the yakuza. Her uncle was apparently one of the key architects of the well known mob looting of the Gifu Shogin credit union back in the 1990s.
That’s pretty amazing. Would you be willing to write something?
Reciente plan para comprar una camisa y se lo recomiendo a todo el mundo, me siento muy bien, colores en forma y la moda en línea con jóvenes que vestían hábitos, recientemente iniciadas con un descuento, bienvenidos amigos a comprar.