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.