TV personality Hidekazu Nagai has filed a suit against two banks demanding they repay him some 11 million yen that he was forced to pay into the institutions as a "ransom" when he was kidnapped by several men in the Philippines, it was learned on Tuesday.

Accused by Nagai are the Kakegawa Shinkin Bank in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, and Shimada Shinkin Bank in Shimada in the same prefecture.

According to the complaint, Nagai was detained in the Philippines in late May by several men who claimed that he molested a girl. The men, who claimed to be local police officers, demanded Nagai pay a total of 11.3 million yen into designated bank accounts in what they called a "ransom" for his release.

Nagai contacted his wife in Japan and asked her to transfer the money into the two credit unions. Nagai was later released, and the two banks soon froze the accounts at the request of Nagai's talent agency.

During the oral proceedings at the Shizuoka District Court on Sept. 25, the two banks demanded the court dismiss Nagai's claim. An official from Kakegawa Shinkin Bank said, "The money was transferred to another financial institution before the account was frozen and the funds are not in our bank." A Shimada Shinkin Bank official refused to comment, saying that the matter is in the hands of their lawyers.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment