Tokyo cops: Man fraudulently used woman’s credit card to buy bitcoin

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 33-year-old company employee for fraudulently using a another person’s credit card to purcahse the bitcoin virtual currency, reports TV Asahi (Nov. 3).

In January, Ryota Fujii, 33, allegedly used a credit card and photograph of a driver’s license of a woman in Shizuoka Prefecture to purchase 600,000 yen in bitcoins and establish an account in that person’s name.

The suspect obtained the information and documentation from the woman by claiming to be in the money lending business. After establishing the fake account, the bitcoins were transferred to his private account and converted to cash.

Fuji, who has been charged with computer fraud, admits to the allegations. “I had debts to pay back,” the suspect is quoted by police.

Bitcoin has garnered popularity in recent years in part due to its relatively high degree of anonymity afforded users and lack of paper trail. According to police, the arrest of the Fujii for what is being considered money laundering is a nationwide first, according to Nippon News Network (Nov. 3)