Anime Fan Arrested After $2.7M in Fake Naruto, One Piece Orders

Tokyo police have arrested a 32-year-old restaurant employee for allegedly obstructing the business of anime publisher Shueisha after she placed more than 2,000 fraudulent orders for Naruto and One Piece merchandise using 238 fake accounts.

The cumulative value of the cancelled orders exceeded 4.3 billion yen (approximately $2.7 million), though the company’s actual losses from shipping and handling are reported at roughly 7.5 million yen ($47,500).

Cash-on-Delivery Exploitation

The suspect, who has not been named, exploited Shueisha’s cash-on-delivery payment system on the Jump Characters Store between 2024 and 2025.

Under that system, customers pay nothing when placing an order; payment is collected by the delivery driver upon arrival. The woman allegedly placed orders, then cancelled them after they were shipped, or simply left them unclaimed, forcing Shueisha to absorb shipping costs and handle returns.

Police say the scheme involved more than 2,000 shipments across hundreds of accounts, creating significant logistical disruption. The charge is obstruction of business, a legal category in Japan used when conduct disrupts a company’s operations and causes economic harm.

“I love anime in general, so placing these orders satisfied that desire.”

According to investigators, the suspect also told police that the orders relieved her daily stress. She has admitted to the charges.

Financial Impact vs. Reported Loss

The 4.3 billion yen figure represents the list price of the cancelled merchandise, not Shueisha’s financial loss.

The company’s reported losses of around 7.5 million yen stem primarily from shipping, handling, and the return of unclaimed parcels. No evidence has emerged of a large-scale theft or resale operation; the goods were simply ordered, then cancelled or refused.

The case highlights how cash-on-delivery systems, still common in Japan’s online retail, can be exploited to create costly administrative burdens without any upfront payment. The suspect’s motive appears to have been personal satisfaction rather than financial gain, as she reportedly derived emotional relief from the act of ordering itself.