A bankrupt health food company, suspected of using an illegal pyramid sales scheme, paid 2 billion yen to a health-food maker immediately before going bust, according to investigative sources.
Zenkoku Hachiyo Butsuryu (Hachiyo), based in the town of Chatan, Okinawa Prefecture, is suspected of having violated the investment law.
It made payments on three occasions between Dec. 10 last year and Jan. 9, the sources said Saturday. The alleged recipient was Aliment Industry Co. of the town of Nambu, Yamanashi Prefecture.