House of Representatives member Takanori Sakai was indicted Thursday on a fresh charge of defrauding the government of some 24 million yen as salary for his policy secretary.
According to prosecutors, Sakai registered a 37-year-old man as his secretary eligible to receive pay from the government, even though the man never actually worked for Sakai's office.
Sakai, 55, was indicted last month on a charge of violating the Political Funds Control Law by concealing 168 million yen in corporate donations.
The lawmaker, representing the Saga Prefecture No. 1 district, was booted out of the Liberal Democratic Party after he was arrested March 7.
The Lower House has since adopted a resolution urging him to give up his Diet seat, but he has refused to do so.
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