September 16, 1942 - Tadamasa Goto
The leader of one of the Yamaguchi-gumi's most powerful affiliate groups, he built a reputation for violence and influence that extended well beyond Japan's borders. What drew particular scrutiny was his arrangement with the FBI: access to a life-saving liver transplant in exchange for information on yakuza operations in the United States, a deal that raised serious questions about the relationship between law enforcement and organized crime. His claimed retirement in 2008 did little to resolve those questions, as U.S. Treasury designations years later suggested continued involvement in criminal networks.
From Wikipedia
Tadamasa Goto (後藤 忠政, Gotō Tadamasa; September 16, 1942 – February 8, 2026) was a Japanese yakuza. He was the founding head of the Goto-gumi, a Fujinomiya-based affiliate of Japan's largest yakuza syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi. Goto, who had been convicted at least nine times, was a prominent yakuza and at one point the most powerful crime boss in Tokyo, even being dubbed the "John Gotti of Japan". Goto was once claimed to have been the largest shareholder in Japan Airlines, but this was disputed by stock exchange filings.
Goto was barred from entering the United States until 2001, when he got a special visa deal from the FBI for a life-saving liver transplant at a time of pronounced organ scarcity.
He allegedly retired from criminal activity in 2008. Nonetheless, the US Treasury department put him on a watchlist in December 2015 and he was still engaged in criminal activities.
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