Overview
- On Feb. 5, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police referred two lawyers, a law firm clerk, the firms Ocean and Miyabi, and operator Albatross to prosecutors with a recommendation for indictment, and the three individuals admitted the allegations.
- The referral centers on six cases from July to October 2024 in which the lawyers accepted clients routed by the service for pay, constituting suspected unlawful brokerage by non-lawyers and prohibited tie-ups under the Attorney Act.
- Police believe Albatross funneled roughly 220 users to the firms from February 2023 to around March 2025, generating about ¥3.7 million in referral fees.
- The firms allegedly paid ¥16,500 per client, labeling transfers as donations to a purported labor union or affiliate advertising fees, and investigators say the union and ad work had no real substance.
- Albatross CEO Shinji Tanimoto, 37, and employee Shiori Tanimoto, 31, were arrested on Feb. 3 and deny wrongdoing, claiming they believed the arrangement was lawful based on legal advice.