Latest news with #TomonobuKojima
6 days ago
Key Luffy Crime Group Member Gets 20 Yrs in Prison
News from Japan Society Jul 23, 2025 21:06 (JST) Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Wednesday sentenced Tomonobu Kojima, a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime group, to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a series of robbery and fraud cases across Japan. This is the first court ruling for any of the four senior members of the group indicted over the high-profile robberies. The ringleaders went by names including "Luffy." Presiding Judge Masamichi Itatsu said that the robbery scheme was a "new type of serious crime," handing down the severe punishment "from the perspective of deterrence." Kojima, 47, was indicted on charges of recruiting individuals involved in robbery cases from October to December 2022, including those in the city of Inagi, Tokyo, the capital's Nakano Ward and the western city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He also allegedly swindled a total of about 54 million yen in 2019. During his trial, Kojima admitted to the charges. Public prosecutors sought a 23-year sentence. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Times
7 days ago
- Japan Times
Senior member of 'Luffy' crime ring gets 20 years in prison
The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday sentenced a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime ring to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a nationwide robbery scheme. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was the first of the four indicted members of the group, whose members went by the nickname "Luffy," to receive a court ruling. Kojima was indicted on charges of recruiting individuals involved in robbery cases from October 2022 to December 2022, including those in the city of Inagi, Tokyo, the capital's Nakano Ward and the city of Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture. He also allegedly swindled a total of about ¥54 million in 2019. During his trial, Kojima admitted to the charges, and public prosecutors sought a 23-year sentence. The prosecutors argued that Kojima recruited perpetrators through X, formerly Twitter, and agencies for illegal part-time jobs, and concluded that he played a significant role in executing robberies. They also claimed that Kojima served as second-in-command and safekeeper in special fraud cases, helping to maintain and expand the group's activities under leader Yuki Watanabe, 41. Meanwhile, the defense noted that Kojima's roles as second-in-command and safekeeper were exaggerated and that he was not privy to the details of robbery plans, and suggested that an 11-year sentence would be appropriate. The other three of the four indicted members, including Watanabe, have been charged with robbery resulting in death over a high-profile case in the Tokyo city of Komae. The dates for their first court hearings have yet to be decided.
7 days ago
Senior Member of Luffy Crime Ring Gets 20 Yrs in Prison
News from Japan Society Jul 23, 2025 17:14 (JST) Tokyo, July 23 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Wednesday sentenced a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime ring to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a nationwide robbery scheme. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was the first of the four indicted members of the group, whose members called themselves by nicknames such as "Luffy," to receive a court ruling. Kojima was indicted on charges of recruiting individuals involved in robbery cases from October to December 2022, including those in the city of Inagi, Tokyo, the capital's Nakano Ward and the western city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. He also allegedly swindled a total of about 54 million yen in 2019. During his trial, Kojima admitted to the charges, and public prosecutors sought a 23-year sentence. The prosecutors argued that Kojima recruited perpetrators through X, formerly Twitter, and agencies for illegal part-time jobs, and concluded that he played a significant role in executing robberies. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
7 days ago
- The Mainichi
Key 'Luffy' crime group member gets 20 yrs over robberies
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Tokyo court on Wednesday handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a key member of a crime ring that orchestrated robberies across Japan from the Philippines. Tomonobu Kojima, 47, was on trial on suspicion of assisting in robberies causing injury and other crimes remotely directed by the group whose members used monikers such as "Luffy," the name of a popular manga character, and recruited individuals to conduct the crimes on social media. The trial at the Tokyo District Court had centered on what role Kojima played. In its first hearing in early July, he admitted to the charges but denied being a senior member of the group, instead describing himself as a "handyman." Prosecutors had sought a 23-year sentence, arguing the defendant had "clearly played an important role in realizing the robberies." His defense counsel had sought 11 years in prison, arguing his involvement in the group's crimes was limited. Aside from Kojima, three other senior members of the group have been indicted for allegedly giving instructions to their subordinates in eight main robbery cases. The crime ring was suspected of being involved in more than 50 cases of robbery, theft and other crimes across 14 prefectures. All four men were deported from the Philippines in February 2023. They are suspected of issuing instructions for the eight robberies on the encrypted messaging app Telegram while being held at a Manila immigration facility before their deportation.
Japan Times
15-07-2025
- Japan Times
23-year sentence sought for senior member of 'Luffy' crime ring
Public prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 23-year prison term for Tomonobu Kojima, a senior member of a Philippines-based Japanese crime ring that allegedly masterminded a series of robbery and fraud cases across wide areas of Japan. In their closing argument in a lay-judge trial at Tokyo District Court, the prosecutors said that the cases in which Kojima, 47, was involved by recruiting perpetrators served as the origin of a series of "tokuryu" crimes committed by loosely organized groups of anonymous members. "The cases have led to many copycat crimes, and the defendant should be punished severely," the prosecutors stressed. The defense said that 11 years in prison would be appropriate for Kojima. The court is scheduled to hand down a ruling on July 23. At the first hearing of his trial on July 1, Kojima, who belonged to the group whose members called themselves "Luffy," pleaded guilty to all charges that he faced, including aiding robberies resulting in injury and committing fraud. In their opening statement, prosecutors said that the defendant recruited perpetrators via X, formerly Twitter. They said he was also in charge of managing the group's criminal proceeds, playing an important role within the group next to Yuki Watanabe, 41, one of its leaders. The defense argued that, while Kojima was instructed by Watanabe, who had shouldered Kojima's debt arising from failed investment, to find perpetrators of planned robbery cases, he was not aware of the details of the plan and that his degree of involvement in the crimes was low. According to the indictment, the defendant introduced to the group between October and December 2022 perpetrators of robbery cases in Tokyo and Yamaguchi Prefecture. Kojima has also been charged with swindling some ¥54 million in cash. Watanabe and two other senior figures in the group have also been indicted on charges, including robbery resulting in death over a fatal assault on an elderly woman in a Tokyo suburb in January 2023. It remains to be seen when the first hearing of their trials will start.
