Multiple news outlets in Japan are reporting that Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the 2020 Toyota Supra, was arrested by the Tokyo prosecutor’s office at 8:07 pm last night while leaving a Tokyo karaoke bar. The office is the same one that arrested Carlos Ghosn, the former CEO of Nissan, last fall. The office charges Tada with misdeeds that have irreparably harmed Toyota Motor Corporation.
According to the statement, Tada used $94 million from the development budget of the 2020 Supra to set up a shell company called Tachibana Real Estate. There, instead of using funds intended for the development of a new chassis and inline-six, tentatively called the 3JZ-GTE, Tada and an accomplice, BMW powertrain engineer Hugo Andore, funneled the money into multiple properties in Bavaria, cars, and jet-setting trips around the world to meet with Tada’s many fans.
The investigation, which has been ongoing since 2016, showed that while on a trip to Germany to purchase Berg Katz, where Tada held a lavish, Oktoberfest-themed wedding last year, the Toyota engineer met with Andore for the first time. Andore proposed that Tada use the BMW B58 inline six engine under the guise that Toyota and BMW were in partnership. With development costs saved, the pair would then divert the cash into several historic castles in southern Germany.
Andore was apparently impressed with Tada’s affinity for German culture and collection of Prussian antiquities, original-release Kraftwerk vinyl, and automobiles, which included Franz Ferdinand’s 1910 Gräf & Stift Double Phaeton touring car, multiple RWB Porsches, and a 1967 Toyota 2000GT swapped with a BMW M30 inline-six and equipped with several fake vents. Those vehicles, along with the properties, have now been seized by authorities.
Agents intercepted Tada in a Mazda Bongo van at Karaoke Kan, a popular Tokyo bar, after complaints that he was being disorderly while wearing lederhosen and a David Hasselhoff T-shirt, causing a stir when they refused to let him sing Fichtl’s Lied by Die Woodys. Toyota has not released a statement on the matter.
We will be updating this story as additional developments unfold. You can view the Tokyo prosecutor’s office press release here.
Woah, that is a crazy story if the allegations are true. Potentially one of the biggest automotive stories of 2019
Hahahahah very good! Now all the bros will know where their 3jz went! Also, who isn’t disorderly whilst wearing lederhosen!?
April fools??
SO HE IS THE REASON WE DONT HAVE A 2JZ
HAHA for a second i was thinking thats the reason why they choose a BMW engine!! No Way!!!
luckily i clicked the link to the press release 😀
Haha good one
2000GT swapped with a BMW M30 and fake vents, you guys are too much lol. Happy April Fools day!
You know…until I saw that line, I was sold on this being a real story.
Hopefully some things at Toyota are still sacred!
Tachibana Real Estate! I knew Kiryu had something to do with this.
KIRYU-CHAN!!!
https://youtu.be/VD6__C2Ht6M
I threw that reference in really hoping that someone would get it. I also got 3 stars on 24 Hour Cinderella the other day and felt like a champ.
Tachibana Real Estate? We should be thanking the guy for giving jobs to the homeless. Now that he is arrested who will build Millenium Tower?
April Fools! had me for a sec till I saw the date hahahaha
I nearly, nearly fell for this. Cut a little too close to the bone for me, almost failed to check other sources!
I knew this was fake news when I read he had RWB Porsche.
Happ April fools day! But I wish he be arrested for leaving us wanting
“…and a 1967 Toyota 2000GT swapped with a BMW M30 inline-six and equipped with several fake vents.”
Nice one…#AprilFools
Well, as hopeful as I was for some post-karaoke JUSTICE…I saw the amount they allegedly swindled.
94 million YEN would be a possibility, but fat chance they’d get away with 94 million DOLLARS!!!
For perspective, the corrupt, former-governor of Tokyo was ousted for misappropriating approximately $40,000 USD. He got busted and it was a major scandal.
$94,000,000
HAHAHAHAHA
Nearly got me until Hugo Andore’s name pop up! Great one!
It would seem such an obvious April fools post if only, this exact thing hadn’t happened at Lotus because of Dany Bahar a few years back.
The Mazda bongo van was a dead give away boys, but still i was not happy. Lol.
Lol almost had me until i read 3 RWB’s and m30 swapped 2000gt…….i was like no way someone that educated had tacky and ruined cars……good one…..
Well Holy Crap…. This new Super is sporting a BMW engine that wasn’t even authorized to be used. Talk about pushing your money away if you bought one. Hahaha!!!!
Where can we find the auction for the RWB Porsches