TOKYO, March 19 (Kyodo) — Major beer brewer Sapporo Breweries Ltd. said Tuesday it has fired a 45-year-old salesman suspected of embezzling around 130 million yen (about $1.4 million) of company funds.
Sapporo Breweries said it has filed a complaint with Tokyo police on suspicion of embezzlement.
The salesman secured money from the company to purchase novelty goods, ostensibly for promotional campaigns, from a trader. He allegedly cashed in gift certificates received from the trader at voucher shops between December 2006 and January 2013, the company said.
He has told the company's in-house investigators that he spent the money to buy personal items, while the trader has denied involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.
The company launched its investigation after the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau pointed out questionable transactions in December last year.
Sapporo Breweries said it will make efforts to prevent a recurrence.