The Osaka University of Economics announced the dismissal of a staff member who was involved in an alleged embezzlement involving approximately 42 million yen from support funds. The university revealed that the 30-year-old male staff member, who was part of the planning and general affairs department, admitted to the allegations, stating that he used the embezzled funds for activities related to boat racing and bicycle racing. This disciplinary action was officially taken on April 4, 2023.

Following the discovery of missing cash during an internal audit conducted on February 2, the university launched an investigation led by an external lawyer. The findings revealed that the staff member had embezzled a total of approximately 42 million yen over several years, from June 2025 to January 2026. Concerns arose related to the management of the supporter association's accounts, which were solely handled by the male staff member without prior monthly examinations or audits, leading to this significant financial oversight.

In response to this situation, the Osaka University of Economics intends to seek full restitution of the embezzled funds from the staff member and will provide compensation to the supporter association through its asset management income. Furthermore, in a show of accountability, the chairman will voluntarily return 30% of his monthly salary for one month, while the responsible executive will return 10%. The university has emphasized the necessity for strict training of its staff to prevent such incidents in the future.