Sonic Designer Yuji Naka Arrested For Alleged Insider Trading

Yuji Naka is a legendary Sonic designer and was arrested in Tokyo for insider trading investigations that involved the release of Dragon Quest. 

According to Japanese news outlets FNNThe arrests of Taisuke Sazaki, an ex-Square Enix employee and Fumiaki Suzuki Suzuki on suspicion of insider trading occurred within the last 24 hour. Aiming, a developer, was due to unveil its mobile game Dragon Quest Tact by 2020. Suzuki and Sazaki are believed to have had access to information about this game long before the public announcement. The pair reportedly purchased a combined 162,000 shares of Aiming for roughly 47.2 million yen (or over $335,000) in advance with the intent of profiting on a potentially higher stock price stemming from Tact’s announcement. 

Yuji Naka, also suspected in the scandal is involved. He is accused of purchasing 10,000 shares worth 2.8 million yen (roughly $20,000) in Aiming for the same purpose of profiting from Tact’s reveal. Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office apprehended Naka, and they are continuing their investigation. It’s currently unknown if the suspects still own their shares or if they already sold them.  

This is Naka’s second controversy this year. In April, Naka publicly blasted Square Enix on Twitter over his removal as director from Balan Wonderworld prior to its release, blaming Square for the game’s critical failure. This outburst came after the conclusion of a lawsuit he’d previously filed against the publisher. Naka is most well-known as the programmer who created the Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog and Nights: Into Dreams original Sonic the Hedgehog titles. 

[Source: FNN]