Over the past 24 hours a fig of radical successful Japan—including a Square Enix employee—have been arrested connected insider trading charges related to a Dragon Quest crippled announcement. Legendary Sega decorator Yuji Naka is reportedly among them.

The ungraded centers astir a workplace called Aiming, which successful 2020 was announced arsenic the developer of a new Dragon Quest game, called Tact. Last night, it was archetypal alleged that 38-year-old Square Enix worker Taisuke Sazaki, who has worked connected Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games, knew of the woody earlier it was publically announced, and on with a person purchased a ton of shares successful Aiming, hoping to nett erstwhile their stock terms (presumably) went up.

Naka, 57, who is credited arsenic 1 of the main creators of Sonic the Hedgehog and who has besides worked connected everything from NiGHTS Into Dreams to Phantasy Star, has since been arrested connected akin charges. According to this FNN report, Naka is accused of besides knowing astir the Aiming woody earlier it was nationalist news, and taking the accidental to acquisition 10,000 shares successful the company.

While astir celebrated for his enactment with Sega, Naka had astir precocious teamed up with Square Enix connected the ill-fated 3D platformer Balan Wonderland. He parted ways with the institution successful April 2021; these allegations stem from 2020, erstwhile helium was inactive moving with the publisher.

Naka was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, which is continuing its investigation. Naka is alleged to person purchased 10,000 shares, worthy ¥2.8 million, oregon astir USD$20,000. (Sazaki, meanwhile, is accused of buying ¥26.4 cardinal worth, oregon astir USD$188,000.) Authorities person yet to disclose whether immoderate of the 3 men arrested truthful acold inactive owned those shares, oregon whether they had been sold disconnected for nett anterior to the investigation.

Kotaku reached retired to Square Enix for comment.