Woman, 72, posed as sister of enka singer Miyako Otsuki in swindle

tokyoreporter.com -- Jan 15

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 72-year-old woman who allegedly posed as the sister of enka singer Miyako Otsuki in swindling a female acquaintance, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun

Between February 2017 and March of the following year, Sachiko Umehara is alleged to have defrauded the victim, a resident of Setagaya Ward, out of 6.5 million yen.

In carrying out the ruse, Umehara falsely told the victim that money deposited with an association for singers would result in a return of 10 percent.

Upon her arrest on suspicion of fraud on Tuesday, Umehara admitted to the allegations, the Seijo Police Station.

Sachiko Umehara (Twitter)

“She was well dressed”

Umehara also lives in Setagaya. She regularly told people that she was the sister of Otsuki. “I believed it because she was well dressed,” the victim told police.

The victim met Umehara at a coffee shop three years ago. On several occasions thereafter, the suspect paid the bills of the victim.

In December 2019, the victim visited the police station after Nakamura failed to make the first promised payment.

Police are now investigating whether there are other victims.

Jan 15 (ANNnewsCH) - 「姉の大月みやこにお金を預けるともうかる」と言ってだましました。  梅原幸子容疑者(72)は2017年から2018年にかけて、東京・世田谷区に住む女性から現金650万円をだまし取った疑いが持たれています。  警視庁によりますと、梅原容疑者は演歌歌手の大月みやこさんの妹になりすまし、女性に「姉が所属する歌手協会に資金を預けると有利な配当が得られる」などと嘘の投資話を持ち掛けたということです。  他にも同様の被害相談があり、警視庁が余罪について調べています。ANNの取材に大月さんは「大変困惑しております」などとコメントしています。