The Livedoor Co. group deliberately overassessed the value of a publisher owned by an investment union it controlled to increase the gains made from share sales, which were then passed on to it through investor dividends, sources said Friday.

The Livedoor group assessed Money Life four to eight times above its actual value, the sources said.

An investment union effectively controlled by the group purchased Money Life for 42 million yen in June 2004, according to prosecution and other sources.