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Japan extradites two in alleged 9/11 fraud
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-26 09:21
Two Japanese citizens were extradited to the United States on Tuesday to face
charges they swindled thousands of dollars from U.S. aid organizations by
falsely claiming they were victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials
said.
Justice Minister Chieko Nono earlier this month approved the handover of the
two, who had been detained by Japanese prosecutors at Washington's request, a
ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized
to talk to reporters.
It was not immediately clear what U.S. city they were extradited to on
Tuesday. The man and woman, whose names were not released, are to face trial in
the United States, where they have been charged with fraud.
They allegedly received compensation from U.S. aid organizations after
falsely claiming they were victims of the 2001 attacks in New York.
The woman received $12,750 from the U.S. Red Cross and another aid
organization, while the man received about $2,500 from the organization.
The two are also suspected of together applying for a $1 million loan from
the U.S. Small Business Administration, falsely claiming that their rented
office near the World Trade Center towers was damaged in the attacks. Their
application was denied.
Both have denied the accusations. One of the two was reportedly a volunteer
interpreter in New York following the attacks.
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