crime

U.S. slaps sanctions on 4 senior members of yakuza gang

34 Comments

The United States on Thursday slapped sanctions on four senior members of Japan's largest mob syndicate to protect the U.S. financial system from organized crime, the Treasury Department said.

Hit with sanctions were Tadashi Irie, Hirofumi Hashimoto, Toshio Masaki, and Shoroku Ishida of the Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest and most prominent Japanese yakuza syndicate, the Treasury said.

The U.S. already had imposed sanctions on the Yamaguchi-gumi in 2011.

To date, 10 members of the Yamaguchi-gumi mob have been targeted with sanctions, the Treasury said, noting the mob was engaged in drug-trafficking and money laundering in the United States.

"Today's action builds upon our efforts to undermine the financial stability of the yakuza and disrupt their transnational drug-trafficking and money laundering efforts," David Cohen, the Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.

"We will continue to target and expose members of criminal organizations like these as we work to protect the U.S. financial system from their illicit activity."

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets the four mobsters may have and prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

© (c) 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

34 Comments
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fadamor is right: The U.S. Treasury did not provide details on whether the yakuza has any assets under U.S. jurisdiction or how the sanctions have undermined the Japanese crime group. They reveal list of persons hit with freeze action. Not only Yamaguchi-gumi people but Sumiyoshij people in September. Shigeru Nishiguchi, and H Fukuda (spell?) In February, Godfather and his assistant of Yamaguchi-gumi, too. Asset frozen means they had asset in USA. ISanction is all Treasury can do bec ause it is not FBI or other Law Enfocement Agencies/ Watch out if IRS will get involved. Years ago, when FBI gave up to crush Al Capone's Mafia illegal booze operation, IRS crushed mafia, then.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Now, USA treasury Dept had been dreaming to help USA finance situation by confiscating Japanese Yakuza money iin USA because mobsters in other countries that are not rict wealthy like Japan. So, yakuza money in USA is targetted. Too bad only 4 Yamaguchi-gumi members had some money in USA. I doubt very much chimpiras will have money in USA. Tehy can not speak American English. They will not come to USA to do business in USA with only Japanese language.

When assets are frozen, they are not confiscated. They are FROZEN in whatever state they are in when the sanctions go into effect. They cannot be added to, nor withdrawn from, but they still exist and are technically still the property of the people who put them there. They become a leverage tool used by the government to "encourage" compliance by the owners of the asset.

Nowhere in the article is it implied that the 4 had any money in the US. If they did, the article would have reported how much money the government had confiscated. I bet they have not a single penny in the US.

No the press release would not detail what was frozen because what happens if next week they find another 10 accounts belonging to those people? Do they issue ANOTHER press conference? Simpler to just say "ALL assets" one time which will automatically cover any subsequent asset discoveries.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

CH2CHO: Not in this JT article. Have you read USJT release or Have you watched US Business report news?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Too bad only 4 Yamaguchi-gumi members had some money in USA.

Nowhere in the article is it implied that the 4 had any money in the US. If they did, the article would have reported how much money the government had confiscated. I bet they have not a single penny in the US.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Treasury Dept in USA had destroyed Bootleggers business and Some Mafias in 1930;s. IRS arrested Al Capone and made good collection of income tax evasion money. Now, USA treasury Dept had been dreaming to help USA finance situation by confiscating Japanese Yakuza money iin USA because mobsters in other countries that are not rict wealthy like Japan. So, yakuza money in USA is targetted. Too bad only 4 Yamaguchi-gumi members had some money in USA. I doubt very much chimpiras will have money in USA. Tehy can not speak American English. They will not come to USA to do business in USA with only Japanese language.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

“We will continue to target and expose members of criminal organizations like these as we work to protect the U.S. financial system from their illicit activity.”

Hypocrites. The big banks with their highly paid lobbyists have done way more damage than the yakuza. I'm all for curbing the activity of organized crime, but the US should start cleaning their own house first.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Obama and the USA should initiate a take down on these idiotic yakuzas with full military force and annihilate them all as they are Japaneses terrorist. They go around killing people. Is that not terrorism?? Sanction is not enough.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@StormR

So...do you actually know what a "banker" does? That's a broad term.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So the US makes this allegation but has not arrested anyone in relation to this ?

If these guys are infact dealing drugs in the US then arrest them and prove the case.

Contrary to what some here think, the U.S. doesn't waltz into another sovereign state and start arresting people. If those being sanctioned ever set foot on U.S. soil, you'd probably see an arrest. Apparently what the yaks are doing isn't illegal in Japan, though. I suppose that it helps the "Japan has a low crime rate" claim if what's illegal in other countries is allowed to flourish without police intervention in Japan. Hey, it doesn't adversely affect the crime statistics if they never prosecute the crime, right?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The US Treasury IS organized crime along with the "Private" Federal Reserve run by the foreign families lording over the Military complex that is controling the false freedoms of the people of the US. they are really partners in crime.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@Moneyyen,

I don't know why ben4short is getting thumbs down.

I don't know why either, Moneyyen. Kind of surprised, actually. Guess a whole lot more folks than I thought have bought into the myth of America as land of the free and home of the brave.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

sighclopsDec. 20, 2013 - 02:15PM JST

Now, if only the Japanese government would lead by example...!

Due process of law is dying in the US. What are the charges against the four? Where is the evidence? What about the trial? Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, assassination by drones etc.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

were they slapped silly or slapped up side the head or maybe it was just a slap sound on the table when they were given sanctions? +1 for silly

ah language, what you do to me

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Now, if only the Japanese government would lead by example...!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

" how about they go after the organised crime groups called 「CENTRAL」Bankers who pose the most threat to the「GLOBAL」 financial system. "

That, I completely agree with!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Further more we are labeling them as military combatant's and are preparing drones for quick and decisive action against them...all are vulnerable to obama's charm and his wit... Not to mention Guantanamo bay is still open, besides obama's promise to close it... Look out! I think I hear one...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If you all think the JAPANESE YAKUZA are only alive and well over in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, sorry but my favorite Sushi bar back in Santa Barbara, California was BURNED down to the ground for not paying so called PROTECTION $$ back when I was still at USCB! So if this can happen in pretty, little safe Santa Barbara?? My guess anywhere and everywhere there is a Japan Town or little Tokyo etc..the dirty YAKUZA have their sticky fingers right in there!!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I don't know why ben4short is getting thumbs down. He is absolutely right. Actually, I will bet the feds in the US are just upset because the Yakuza didn't share in the profits like the Italians, Russians, Chinese or others do.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets the four mobsters may have and prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

Is this a joke or something? The four yakuza will lose nothing. If you are a US citizen, you should be careful not to get involved, for it is you, not the yakuzas, who will be punished by the US government in case found involved, directly or indirectly. Avoiding indirect involvement in broadest sense is quite uncertain.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!-The Yakuza are nowhere in the same field as Eastern European & Chinese, who make billions on drugs & Human Trafficking . If Anyone group nneded sanctioning it's the current administration of the (formerly) good old U.S.of A !

3 ( +6 / -3 )

What a farce.

The 'Yakuza' are barely a blip in terms of organized crime in America. Perhaps Hawaii is the only state they have some presence in.

The U.S. has wayyy more concerns regarding the Mexican cartels, those cartel members are routinely crossing into the U.S. border to conduct drug operations as well as hits. These cartels are also working with American grown organized crime syndicates.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

"Why cant Japan do the same?"

I wouldn't say it's because Japanese politicians are corrupt (in some cases maybe) but Japanese people are of course very cautious and the Yakuza is so interwoven with Japanese society my guess is that authorities probably fear what would result from a crackdown. An old saying about Japanese police is the only thing they fear more than organized crime is disorganized crime. And they also have to consider the business and financial implications.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The politician are in bed with organized crime so the "National" police will not do more than window dressing. As for the US, I don't think Japan will extradite them to the US, so the US has to do what it can. Also, unless the US switches side to China, I don't think they want to make a stink about a lack of co-operation on this. The US hasn't really criticized Japan on much for decades.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

noting the mob was engaged in drug-trafficking and money laundering in the United States.

So the US makes this allegation but has not arrested anyone in relation to this ?

If these guys are infact dealing drugs in the US then arrest them and prove the case.

to protect the U.S. financial system from organized crime, the Treasury Department said.

and this statement is absolutely hilarious, how about they go after the organised crime groups called Bankers who pose the most threat to the financial system.

Instead they let them run free ready to strike again and take billions out of the system.

It is april the 1st ?

0 ( +7 / -7 )

The J-cops are in bed with the yaks because they took too long to make it an option not to be, so they can't really do much more than send a few hundred police with white gloves every now and then to take a bunch of boxes (after kindly notifying the person to be 'raided' a week in advance). Organized crime is evidently not a 'crime' in Japan.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

Why cant Japan do the same?

That's probably because they can't get them red handed which is crossing the border in every country. In each developed country police works together with organsied groups to control those and many operational officers party with them. But once the legal border is reported by press - that's the border. After that you'll get what you deserve. In developed countries I mean.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Why cant Japan do the same?

13 ( +15 / -2 )

I guess this'll work better than actually slapping them. Not as fun, though.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I don't think this can stop those who are sanctioned really, Yes their current assets are frozen but they could make that up by going threw business corporations already established here in the US by their group and doing business under another entity that ultimately will lead to them 3 or 4 entities later.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Hmm wonder why Japan hasn't done this...?

16 ( +20 / -4 )

as we work to protect the U.S. financial system from their illicit activity

Bwa Ha Ha Ha!!

10 ( +16 / -6 )

When is the US government going to slap sanctions on itself, the largest organized crime syndicate in the world?

-11 ( +18 / -29 )

I was pretty surprised when I head how far reaching a lot of organized crime syndicates were. The mafia was expected, then came the Russian mafia... and then the triads from China... and when I heard the yaks had their fingers in some criminal activities here I was take aback.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

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