fraud began on September 4, 2006. Prosecutors sought a four-year prison sentence for Horie, who pleaded not guilty. In March 2007, he was found guilty of falsifying the company's accounts and misleading investors and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months imprisonment. He appealed the punishment, but the Supreme Court of Japan on April 26, 2011 upheld the sentence. Horie maintained a digital newsletter from his prison cell and communicated with the outside world through staffers who posted to Twitter on his behalf. He lost more than 60 pounds while in prison, which he attributed to the bland food served there. He was released on parole in March 2013 after 21 months behind bars. Horie now promotes his own portfolio of businesses through his company, SNS. He showcases other people's big ideas through his large social media network, and his website horiemon.com. References External links Horie Blog 1972 births Living people Japanese billionaires 20th-century Japanese businesspeople 21st-century Japanese businesspeople Japanese chief executives Japanese fraudsters Japanese political candidates Japanese racehorse owners and breeders Japanese socialites People from Yame, Fukuoka Space tourism University of Tokyo alumni