An NHL franchise was reportedly used by the Japanese mafia to launder money during the 1990s. Its owner never attended a single game, rarely communicated with league officials, and by the end of the ordeal, the team had accumulated more than $50 million in debt. When the Tampa Bay Lightning joined the NHL, they were purchased by a Japanese company called Kokusai Green, headed by the elusive businessman Takashi Okubo. Okubo was rarely seen in public, had little contact with league officials, and never attended a single Lightning game. Years later, courtroom testimony and investigative reporting alleged that Kokusai Green had ties to the Yakuza and was being used to launder money through the franchise. The team eventually accumulated more than $50 million in debt before being sold in 1998, bringing one of the most unusual ownership scandals in NHL history to an end.(Historic Vids)