Nekokurage, artist of “The Apothecary Diaries” Sentenced for Tax Evasion
Erika Ikeda, the manga artist who is professionally known as Nekokurage and renowned for her work on the popular series “The Apothecary Diaries” has been sentenced to a suspended prison term and a substantial fine for tax evasion.
The Fukuoka District Court handed down a sentence of ten months in prison, suspended for three years, and a fine of 11 million yen to Ikeda. In her ruling, Judge Takeda Yuko stated that the defendant had engaged in significant tax evasion over a span of multiple years, describing it as extremely malicious. The judge handed down a sentence of 10 months in prison, which was suspended for three years, along with a fine of 11 million yen. It is worth noting that the prosecution had initially requested a 10-month prison term and a fine of 14 million yen.
The incident came to light earlier this year when the Fukuoka Regional Taxation Bureau initiated an investigation into Ikeda’s financial affairs. It was revealed that the undeclared income came from the substantial success of “The Apothecary Diaries” a historical fantasy manga series that has gain a significant following both domestically and internationally.
Despite the legal troubles faced by its artist, Square Enix, one of the producers of “The Apothecary Diaries” manga, has confirmed that there are no plans to discontinue the series. A spokesperson for the company emphasized the popularity of the manga and its dedicated fanbase, stating that the publication would continue as scheduled.
Nekokurage has publicly apologized for her actions, saying the tax evasion was due yo negligence rather than intentional wrongdoing.
Source – Livedoor
