Police in Aichi Prefecture arrested 29-year-old Daiki Yamazaki on suspicion of fraud. The man, whose address and occupation are unknown, is the son of former professional baseball player Takeshi Yamasaki, who played for years with the Chunichi Dragons and other NPB teams.
The arrest took place on Tuesday (9). According to the investigation, the suspect approached a 65-year-old executive, resident of Nakano, Tokyo, in November 2024. He used a social media call to ensure that he could sell the man’s watch at auction abroad for a high price.
The executive delivered a Patek Philippe watch valued at around 6.85 million yen (approximately R$300,000). Yamazaki did not pay for the item and, when questioned, said he had exchanged the object for money at a pawnshop in Nagoya.
Father regrets the case
Takeshi Yamasaki, who built a distinguished career with 403 home runs in the Japanese professional league, released a statement through a lawyer on Wednesday (10). “I deeply regret that my son’s case could cause concern and problems for other people,” said the former athlete.
Investigation of other possible scams
The police are investigating whether the same method was used against other people. Sources indicate that total losses could reach around 7 million yen, with reports of inquiries from victims about deals involving luxury watches. Yamazaki has not yet commented on the accusations.
The case exposes the risks of informal transactions with high-value items, especially when mediated by social network contacts and promises of quick gains on the international market.
