Author sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 3 years; his company levied with 7-million-yen fine

NTV News 24 reported on Tuesday that the Tokyo District Court found Daisuke Umezu — the real name of author Mamare Touno — guilty of tax evasion on Tuesday. The court sentenced Touno to 10 months in prison, although the sentence is suspended for three years so he will not serve time if he remains on good behavior. The court also levied his rights management company m2ladeJAM with a 7 million yen (about US$63,000) fine.

The 42-year old author of Log Horizon and MAOYU was charged last April with tax evasion and violation of the Corporate Tax Law for allegedly neglecting to file about 122 million yen (US$1 million) in royalties in the three years since the fiscal year ending in March 2014. Touno owes the Japanese government 30 million yen (US$270,000) in taxes.

Shortly after being charged last April, Touno released a statement that said, "The Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau notified me about the investigation on my tax reports, and I cooperated with their investigation. I have filed and paid my back taxes and completed the necessary paperwork, and so the Bureau has concluded their investigation."

Touno was placed under house arrest last December.

Touno launched his Log Horizon light novel series in March 2011, and his MAOYU light novel series in May 2011. Log Horizon inspired two TV anime series. The first season premiered in October 2013, and the second season premiered in October 2014. Yen Press publishes the Log Horizon light novels in North America.

MAOYU also inspired a 12-episode television anime series that premiered in January 2013.

Source: NTV News 24 via My Game News Flash