A Fake Talent Scout Tricked An Underage Aspiring Idol Into Having Sex

The “scout” told his version of events.

Content Warning

This article includes descriptions of sexual assault that may disturb some readers.

The “dark side of K-Pop” has made headlines for everything from sexual exploitation to corrupt business practices. Unfortunately, that “dark side”  still exists in Korea, but also in other countries with flourishing entertainment industries.

Unrelated image for illustrated purposes

Osaka Prefectural Police confirmed that Fuchigami Takashi, a man from Osaka, allegedly posed as a talent scout to solicit sex from a minor. At the time, Fuchigami was 46 years old and the minor in question, a high school student who dreams of debuting as an idol, was 17.

Unrelated photo for illustrative purposes | Matthias Wagner/Unsplash

“I had sexual intercourse, but I thought she was 18, and I didn’t provide any money,” Fuchigami stated after his arrest. He reportedly contacted the teen via social media. There he convinced the girl that he was a talent scout who had played an integral role in launching the successful careers of several high-school-girls-turned-entertainers.

Unrelated photo for illustrative purposes | Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash

Using this rouse, Fuchigami reportedly convinced the 17-year-old to have sex with him at his home on January 17, 2021. According to news reports, he allegedly paid her 10,000 yen (approximately $65 USD) for sleeping with him. Although the teen’s mother reported the suspect to the police in March, Fuchigami wasn’t arrested on suspicion of violating Japan’s anti-child prostitution law until June 29, 2021.

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