TAIPEI (Kyodo) Shin Nakagomi, the Japanese former manager of a Taiwanese professional baseball team, was found guilty of game-fixing Tuesday and sentenced to a suspended 20-month prison term.
The Banciao District Court in Taipei County also ordered Nakagomi, 40, former manager of the Taipei-based Brother Elephants, to pay a fine of 1.8 million New Taiwan dollars ($56,500), including NT$1.5 million that Shin gained in the course of throwing games.
Prosecutors, who sought an 18-month prison term, have yet to say if they will appeal, thus requiring Nakagomi to stay in Taiwan until further notice.
The court found Nakagomi attempted to fix games five times, successfully on three occasions, between April 2008 and last September in conjunction with a number of Taiwan's best-known players.
It said Nakagomi's contrition for his behavior and the fact that this was his first offense meant a suspended sentence was sufficient as a punishment and deterrent.
Nakagomi pleaded guilty on July 13 to all charges after confessing on June 25 to game-fixing, part of a series of scandals that have damaged public confidence in the domestic baseball league.
In April, Nakagomi admitted to only one count of game-fixing, but told the court on July 13 that he changed his plea to a full confession so he could return to Japan as soon as possible to take care of his daughter.