Utada : Not So Simple & Clean
 

SEPTEMBER 27--The mother of one of Japan's biggest pop stars was recently caught with more than $400,000 in suspected drug proceeds as she tried to board a plane from New York to Las Vegas, according to federal prosecutors now seeking forfeiture of the funds. In March, screeners at JFK Airport discovered the money in the carry-on luggage of Junko Utada, whose 23-year-old daughter has been described as the Japanese Britney Spears. Hikaru Utada, pictured at right, has sold more than 40 million albums in Japan, with her debut album selling more copies than any record in the country's history. According to investigators, when Drug Enforcement Administration agents approached Junko Utada, 55, as she waited to board a March 6 America West flight, she was "yelling into a telephone" and "appeared extremely nervous and physically ill." During questioning, Utada said she had just retrieved the six-figure stash from a Manhattan Mini Storage unit, adding that the money came, in part, from gambling winnings. A forfeiture complaint filed by federal prosecutors noted that the money--4149 $100 bills--was bundled, wrapped in paper, and secured with rubber bands. Some bundles were found inside "two large plastic Ziploc bags." Agents also recovered some Australian and Canadian currency, for a total seizure of $421,489.44, according to the September 25 complaint, a copy of which you'll find below. DEA agents reported that Utada, who "evaded answering questions," claimed that she planned on donating the 400 grand to a Las Vegas foster home that she had never visited and whose name she could not recall. After the money was seized, it was placed in a DEA evidence bag and agents conducted a "canine examination of the currency with a trained drug-sniffing dog." The animal "alerted to the cash, indicating that it bore traces of controlled substances." Prosecutors seeking Utada's forfeiture of the money allege that it represents proceeds of drug sales or was intended to be used to buy drugs. Through counsel, Utada, a former singer, has filed a "claim of ownership" with the DEA for the funds and has requested that the Department of Justice institute judicial forfeiture proceedings so that disposition of the money can be litigated.

Source: The Smoking Gun http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...62hikaru1.html

Interesting article. I hate the fact that they use Utada pictures, not her mom. Kinda trying to give J-Pop a bad name.

ha ha ha, oh wow!

Seriously. That sucks.

oh that naughty Junko! :no

thanks for sharing.

EDIT: i found a (old i'm assuming) pic of her...just FYI.

Woah, how odd.

So all those records sold weren't the REAL reason why Utada has such a high income... :mischief :P

"whose 23-year-old daughter has been described as the Japanese Britney Spears" ...grrr that one line always makes me mad...she is so not like Britney at all...but anyway, more on topic, wow...just wow...of all people, i never wouldve suspected Utada's mom

I totally agree. I've heard the same thing said about Ayu as well and I think that's a load of crap. They have so much more talent and are nothing alike. Their only similarity would be their popularity and I don't even know many people who still like Britney after all that she's done.

But I do find the article humurous :D

Its in comparison to their success rate, not style.

Everyone is aware of that I'm sure, but still the comparison is cringe inducing.

Is that serious??

Britney has been super successful, unfortunately.

I never would've suspected Hikki's mom of that, hehehe. This actually makes me like her more for some reason. I am so bad...

That's really wild. Too bad I was in NYC the day after this all happened, I missed out on all the fun! lol ;)

Utada's mother's into pot. I wonder if "Traveling" has anything to do with that LOL

agree. unfortunately ppl make use of their disgust for Britney in order not to interpret things properly.

Really? ask anyone in US, or even in other countries like Brazil, who's Britney and who's Utada? they'll more likely know who Britney is, instead.

ImpactBreaker: Actually they know Britney for selling sex. Not for selling music.

I'm shocked o_o

o_o

I think Britney Spears' albums have sold tons more than Hikki's. LOL
Her debut album:
Sales worldwide: 25 million[6]
Sales U.S.: 10.5 million [7]
U.S. Certification: 14x Platinum[8] [

Oh well. I'm too lazy to wiki it.

Well, when she got all sexy[2nd albm and onward], I don't think she even sold half of the amount of her debut..

Which "she" & "her" are you referring to? Britney or Utada?

I'm talking about only Britney.

HAHAHAHAHA.

Hikki must have a heaaaaaaaaaadacheeeeeeeee.

...and yeap. Your guys' hate for britney blinds you just like your love of ______ blinds you! BWAHAHAHA!! Britney could sing, and she never went as far as some other artist most of us know...(I'll give you a hint: K )

Yeah uh, I don't think so Helvado LOL

don't think what?

That she could sing?
That she didnt go as far as *cough*
That Hikki doesnt have a headache?

????

I don't really know what you were talking about but.. eh LOL

Oh well.

ok

Hmm, well, at least we can send letters to Junko Utada now!

In case it was true, who cares about her mother anyway? Hikki is Hikki. I don't even care for her personal matters, just for her music.

wow interesting.


probably late saying this, but a lot of this thread is off topic..it's not about the comparison here.



although i don't see how people are so offended by it...cause i agree, britney and hikki get the same amount of publicity.

thank you for writing most of this out...i wouldn't have read that whole thing...

anyway...interesting.

I knew Hikki has a rather problematic family, but I never expected drugs to be a part of it too. Now maybe that has something to do with Boku wa Kuma...:laugh

Anyway, let's just quietly observe the proceedings from now on.

I can see all those poor Hikki fans out there, all ruined with teary eyes because now they suddenly can't like their favourite artist anylonger.


:rolleyes

^ this isn't gonna stop me from listening to hikki (infact i'm gonna listen to her now). Still... an odd thing to happen o.O

^Lol. I think he was being sarcastic. XD

I read about Junko yesterday. While I read it, they said that she was ill and that she couldn't reach Hikki to explain why she had the money. I don't think that the money was drug related or anything. If it was than shame on you, Junko. Hikki has a lot of money and for her to do it is kind of odd, don't you think............:irked

haha, i thought the same thing! "dear junko, sorry about the drug thingy, but i love your daughter, could you please tell her?"

or we could hang out outside her place and hope hikki stops by for a visit!

agreed...this thread is about junko and the drug money, not britney spears. lol.

Wow... Bad Junko!

Interesting article.
I couldn't help but twitch a little when they compared her to britney ^^;

You know, if you had your camera around your neck, you'll look exactly like one of the paparazzi told to stake out at her place. Not exactly what you'll want to do to get Hikki to be friendly to you. :laugh

wow that's kinda shocking, and the Britney just irks me whether they're comparing style or success rate xD

I wonder what would happen if every article about Britney would equal her with Utada :D.

i agree with u in every aspect

maybe ppl who compare them with brit are tryin to give a compliment but..... it makes me go nuts.

=O DAMN!!!!

For god's sake people, can't you guys focus on the real subject of the article? It's talking about Junko not BritneyxUtada. Honestly, the comment was so light hearted, it's quite an overreaction to flip over that:rolleyes

That's so weird about Junko. Of all people, Hikaru's old mum is a dealer? I think this could help Hikaru in the states. I mean, if Hikaru gets shot for ripping some ho off on the street she'd be so famous. The next 50 cent maybe. Then they'd compare her to Chamillion(sp) and we could hear people complain endlessly about that comparison.

I wonder when this started with her mom..

It was probably the last few years ago.. perhaps after EXODUS?
Maybe she was all heartbroken that Hikki failed or something.

LMAO! At least then she'd actually have some street cred in the hip-hop and R&B communities.

I thought that was Utada! Looks exactly like her!!!!

I wouldn't be suprised if Hikki was doing drugs either. You never know with people :) Of course, I personally don't think she's a junkie. I have a fairly optimistic outlook towards people.

This has to be hands down the most intriguing personality combination: retired golden-age enka singer slash hardcore drug dealer. Miike Takashi, your influence is everywhere!

Lesson learned: you never know about people. Especially celebrities.

good grief, there are traces of cocaine on just about every dollar, the *******es -_-*

The way the money was packaged would lead one to believe. its the typical way of drug dealings.

Junko was bored

Drug dealing seemed exciting to her lol :bchuck