Feds Charge Suspected Japanese Yakuza Leader With Trafficking Nuclear Materials

U.S. federal prosecutors have brought new charges against a Japanese national and suspected leader within the Yakuza transnational crime syndicate, alleging he conspired to traffic nuclear materials. Prosecutors filed a superseding indictment against Japanese national Takeshi Ebisawa, 60, in the U.S. District Court for New York’s Southern District on Wednesday. Prosecutors allege Mr. Ebisawa trafficked material uranium and weapons-grade plutonium from Burma to other countries and conspired to supply Iran with the materials. Mr. Ebisawa was previously indicted and arrested in New York in April 2022. He, along with three Thai nationals—Sompak Rukrasaranee, Somphob Singhasiri, and Suksan Jullanan—were charged at the time with narcotics and weapons trafficking offenses....