Osaka woman arrested over 2,000 fake Shueisha anime orders claims ‘stress relief’

A woman in Osaka has been arrested for repeatedly placing orders for anime merchandise on the online store of publishing giant Shueisha, then refusing to pay or accept delivery.

The 42-year-old woman, Yoshida Mayu, is accused of placing over 2,000 fake orders between 2024 and 2025 for items from popular franchises including One Piece and Naruto, using 238 different accounts. The total value of the orders amounted to at least 4.3 billion yen (HK$213 million). 

Although Shueisha eventually recovered the goods, the company suffered about 7.5 million yen (HK$372,000) in shipping and storage costs, as well as lost sales from temporary stock shortages.

She was arrested on Thursday after Shueisha filed a complaint in June 2025. She admitted to the crime, telling investigators she ordered to relieve stress.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓