Unpaid Anime Merch Orders Totaling ¥4.3 Billion Lead to Arrest in Japan
Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a 32-year-old woman in Osaka on suspicion of fraudulent obstruction of business after she repeatedly placed massive orders for popular manga merchandise without paying for them on Shueisha's official "Weekly Shonen Jump" online store. The total value of the canceled orders reached an unprecedented 4.3 billion yen (approx. $28 million USD), sparking widespread shock and outrage on social media. According to the investigation, the suspect created and misused 238 accounts to repeatedly place bulk orders for merchandise featuring hit franchises such as ONE PIECE and NARUTO . She repeated the process thousands of times, intentionally leaving orders unpaid until they were automatically canceled. During questioning, she admitted to the charges, stating, "I love anime in general, and placing the orders satisfied my desire," and that she did it "to relieve stress." When news of the arrest broke, social media ...