Police in Okayama City arrested a 21-year-old university student on June 11 on suspicion of fraud after he allegedly took 3 million yen from a 76-year-old woman.
The arrested man is Takeshi Nakamoto, a fourth-year student from Kyoto City. According to police, Nakamoto called the woman while impersonating her son and claimed he needed 3 million yen to pay compensation after his romantic involvement with a female colleague was discovered by her husband.
Nakamoto arranged to meet the woman on a street in Kita Ward, posing as a lawyer's assistant to collect the cash. The scheme came to light when the woman contacted her real son.
Police identified Nakamoto through his cell phone records and street surveillance footage. He has admitted to the charge and stated he acted as a money mule for a tokuryu group.