A major financier of President Joseph Boakai’s campaign in Liberia has been arrested in Asia. Joe Kpoto, also a British citizen, is the son of former veteran politician and Lofa County Senator Kerkula Kpoto.
Tokyo police confirmed on Friday the arrest of Joe Kpoto, a 40-year-old British national of Liberian descent, on charges of stealing ¥13 million (approximately $83,400) from a company executive through a deceptive gold transaction. Kpoto has denied the allegations against him. Authorities report that his arrest is linked to a series of similar crimes that have occurred across Tokyo from August 2023 to June 2024, with total losses estimated at around ¥146 million. Investigators are currently exploring possible connections among these incidents.
The alleged crime took place on October 25, 2023, around 1 p.m. at a restaurant in Chiyoda Ward. Kpoto is accused of posing as a business consultant during a meeting with a 62-year-old company executive, who was contacted by a Japanese broker regarding the purchase of approximately 1 kilogram of gold grains. The victim was instructed to bring ¥13 million in cash for the transaction.
Once the victim handed over the money in a paper bag, Kpoto purportedly pretended to count it under the table, secretly swapping the cash for notepads designed to resemble bundles of banknotes. He then sealed the bag with adhesive tape, making it difficult for the victim to notice the switch.
After the meeting, the executive sought to have the gold grains appraised, only to find that they were merely copper pieces coated in gold paint. Upon returning to the restaurant, he discovered that Kpoto had already fled and that his bag contained only notepads.
Authorities report that Kpoto left Japan the day after the incident but was apprehended at Haneda Airport on Wednesday when he attempted to reenter the country.
In addition to Kpoto’s arrest, police are pursuing leads on another foreign national who was allegedly present during the transaction last October. Kpoto is reportedly the son of the late Kerkula Kpoto, a former Lofa County Senator and veteran politician, and is also linked to Liberian President Joe Boakai as a nephew. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the full scope of this elaborate scheme.
