Cops Watch Woodford’s Back at Olympus Scandal Briefings

Olympus Corp. former President Michael C. Woodford was tailed by two police vans today as he took taxis through Tokyo to brief investigators probing the camera maker’s admission it covered up investment losses.

Woodford arrived in Japan yesterday for the first time since his dismissal on Oct. 14, when he left the country saying he felt unsafe following reports in the Japanese-language Facta magazine that payments made by Olympus in takeovers may be linked to organized crime groups. At least $1.4 billion in acquisition costs are now at the center of criminal probes.