Hogen Fukunaga listens to the verdict at the Tokyo District Court on July 15 in this artist's drawing.

The Tokyo District Court convicted Hogen Fukunaga, 60, of fraud, concluding he deceived his followers into paying "fees for training" that would cure them of diseases.

Presiding Judge Tsutomu Aoyagi accused the ex-cult leader, whose real name is Teruyoshi Fukunaga, of exploiting people's fears of diseases and other troubles by claiming he could read their past and future by examining the soles of their feet.

"He used shocking words to fuel their concern, falsely claimed their diseases could be cured through training in his cult, and swindled exorbitant amounts of money from them," the judge said as he denounced Fukunaga's acts as a vicious crime.

The court said Fukunaga colluded with other members of the cult to perform what they called a "foot-reading diagnosis" on 31 people who visited the cult's facilities between 1994 and 1997 for advice on their diseases and other troubles.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 23, 2005
(C) All rights reserved