Organ transplant support group offices searched on suspicion of fraud, Japan

Source: Mainichi Daily News

KOBE -- Police have searched the former office of a private organ transplant support group on suspicion of fraud.

A man in his 60s from Kobe filed a complaint against two former executives of the overseas organ transplant assistance organization, which was based in Osaka Prefecture, after the suspects -- the 67-year-old father and his 34-year-old son -- allegedly defrauded the man of some 10 million yen in transplant surgery and hospitalization costs at a Chinese medical facility between November 2008 and May 2009.

The man traveled to China for a kidney transplant but could not receive surgery.

Hyogo Prefectural Police searched on Jan. 6 the auto-repair factory previously registered as the organization's head office in the Osaka Prefecture town of Misaki, as well as the suspects' residence in Wakayama Prefecture and other locations.

Police will also question the suspects to track the flow of money in their organ transplant assistance services, while investigating whether their activities constitute organ donation mediation, which is prohibited by the Act on Organ Transplantation.

When the organ transplant support body became a state-authorized non-profit organization under a different name in June last year, both suspects resigned as senior executives, said investigators, who also searched the house of the NPO chairman in Wakayama.

However, both the father and the son denied the fraud allegations during an interview with the Mainichi, with one of them saying, "If the man had not returned to Japan, he could have undergone the transplant surgery. So, this is not fraud."

The father added, "My son and I set up the organization together, but I was just answering phone calls. My son searched for Chinese hospitals providing organ transplant surgery and introduced them to our clients. We have dozens of successful cases."

臓器移植：詐欺の疑い、民間団体元幹部宅など捜索－－兵庫県警

　中国での臓器移植を巡り、現地で手術を受けられなかった神戸市の６０代男性が多額の金銭を詐取されたとして、移植情報を提供した民間団体の元幹部２人を刑事告訴している問題で、兵庫県警は６日午前、大阪府岬町の団体旧本部や和歌山市の元幹部の自宅など関係先数カ所を詐欺容疑で家宅捜索した。

　県警によると、告訴されているのは団体の元代表（６７）と長男の元副代表（３４）。２人は腎不全を患っていた神戸市の男性に中国での移植を持ちかけ、０８年１１月～０９年５月、手術費や滞在費などの名目で計約１０００万円をだまし取った疑いが持たれている。

　２人が運営していたのは「ＯＭＴＡＣ海外医療臓器移植支援ボランティアセンター」。本部とされていた中古車整備工場に午前９時４５分ごろ、段ボールなどを持った捜査員約１５人が捜索に入った。県警は臓器移植を巡る活動での金銭の流れなどについて事情を聴く方針。臓器移植法で禁じられている臓器のあっせんに当たらないかも調べる。

　この団体は昨年６月、内閣府から別の名称でＮＰＯ認証を受け、その際に２人は幹部から外れたという。県警は和歌山市のＮＰＯ理事長宅も捜索した。

　２人は毎日新聞の取材にいずれも「男性が帰国しなければ手術はできた。詐欺ではない」と説明。うち元代表は「団体は長男と設立したが、私は電話番。長男が中国で臓器提供を受けられる病院を探し、依頼者に紹介していた。これまで数十人の移植を成功させた」と話した。【村上正、金森崇之、岡村崇】