Comedian Nakayama Kin'nikun, 48, is being sued for damages over a fraud case involving his former manager, on the grounds that he bore responsibility for supervising the man, and the dispute is widening. An entrepreneur who says he was defrauded said in an interview that the response from Nakayama's side has been insincere.
The former manager, Yuichi Iio, was arrested last year on suspicion of taking ¥8 million from 333 (Sasami), the personal office where Nakayama serves as representative, and received a prison sentence in March this year together with other fraud cases. Sympathy for Nakayama spread on social media as a victim betrayed by his manager.
But on September 30 and October 13 this year, the Daily Shincho reported that Nakayama had been sued for damages in connection with the fraud by a man identified as A, who handles management for the entertainer Kane Kosugi. A says Iio asked him for a loan and he lent the money, after which Iio disappeared. Arguing that Nakayama bore responsibility for supervising Iio, A sued Nakayama, Iio and 333 as defendants for a total of ¥162 million.
Separately from A's case, an entrepreneur identified as B also says he was swindled out of money by Iio and is questioning Nakayama's supervisory responsibility. B frowned as he spoke to a reporter.
“It is true that as the talent Nakayama Kin'nikun, he is a victim of Iio's fraud, but as the representative of 333 it is a different matter. As the head of a company whose staff member committed the crime, I feel he has not fulfilled the duty he should.”B, entrepreneur who says he was defrauded
B said Iio told him: "I'm also borrowing money from Kin'nikun," and "I have prospects of repaying it, I'm just short of the startup funds." B said Iio explained the money was for a protein sales and apparel business, and he lent him about ¥3 million, after which Iio disappeared.
After the fraud came to light, B said the response from Nakayama and 333 was not satisfactory.
“333 treats it like someone else's problem. Unless I contact them, they never report anything to me. When Iio was arrested, I was the one who got in touch. With Kin'nikun too, there was just a brief phone call when Iio first disappeared. After Iio vanished, 333 asked me to report the damage because they were going to consult a lawyer, so I reported it. So there is no way they don't know the extent of the damage, and yet there has been no compensation and no apology in person at all.”B, entrepreneur who says he was defrauded
Asked for comment, including its view on Nakayama not having apologized to B directly and how it regards B's claims, 333 said: "A civil lawsuit is pending in this matter, and proceedings on the court's findings of fact are under way. Accordingly, we will refrain from responding to individual points."