A federal court in New York sentenced Takeshi Ebisawa, a 61-year-old leader of Japan's Yakuza crime group, to 20 years in prison following his conviction for trafficking nuclear material.
Background
Ebisawa was arrested in Manhattan in April 2022 during a sting operation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration alongside his Thai co-defendant Somphop Singhasiri.
He has been jailed since that arrest on drug and weapons charges following years of investigations by the federal agency.
In February 2024, he was also accused of trying to sell military-grade nuclear material, along with narcotics including heroin and methamphetamine.
Prosecutors said Ebisawa did not know he was communicating with a confidential source for the DEA along with a source's associate who posed as an Iranian general.
To support his claim of access, he sent photographs depicting rocky substances with Geiger counters measuring radiation, claiming they contained thorium and uranium.
The nuclear material allegedly came from an unidentified leader of an ethnic insurgent group in Myanmar who had been mining uranium in the country.
The Charges
In January 2025, Ebisawa pleaded guilty to six charges including trafficking drugs and weapons.
Samples of the alleged nuclear materials were obtained and a U.S. federal lab found they contained uranium, thorium and plutonium.
Prosecutors said the isotope composition of the plutonium was weapons-grade, meaning enough of it would be suitable for use in a nuclear weapon.
He also conspired to sell 500 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin to be distributed in New York.
Additionally, Ebisawa worked to launder 100,000 dollars in purported narcotics proceeds from the U.S. to Japan.
Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg stated Ebisawa has been held accountable for crimes including an attempt to sell weapons-grade plutonium to Iran.
Key Takeaways
- Ebisawa sentenced to 20 years in federal prison
- Convicted of attempting to sell weapons-grade plutonium
- DEA sting operation led to arrest in Manhattan
- Co-defendant Somphop Singhasiri also jailed since 2022
What's Next
Ebisawa remains in custody while his co-defendant faces separate proceedings.
The case highlights ongoing international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation by organized crime groups.