A 32-year-old Japanese woman has been arrested for allegedly placing more than 2,000 fake online orders worth around 4.3 billion yen, or approximately Tk 353 crore, causing significant losses to a major Japanese publishing company.
The woman, identified as Meu Yoshida, works at a restaurant and allegedly targeted Jump Characters Store, the online shop operated by renowned Japanese publishing house Shueisha.
According to the report, Yoshida placed orders for popular anime and manga merchandise, particularly items related to the hit series One Piece. She reportedly used 238 different accounts over a period of nearly two years to place the orders and then cancel them or deliberately fail to receive the products.
Yoshida allegedly used several methods to ensure the orders were cancelled. In some cases, she selected an option to collect and pay for the products at a nearby store but never showed up. The orders were subsequently cancelled after the collection deadline expired.
In other cases, she reportedly chose cash-on-delivery and refused to accept the packages when they arrived. She also allegedly provided incorrect or fictitious addresses, making delivery impossible.
The repeated orders and failed deliveries reportedly cost the publishing company around 7.5 million yen—more than Tk 60 lakh—in order-processing and delivery expenses.
After detecting the alleged fraud, the company reported the matter to police. Investigators subsequently traced Yoshida and arrested her.
During police questioning, Yoshida reportedly admitted to the allegations and offered an unusual explanation for her actions.
She said she had been under considerable stress in her daily life and that placing orders for limited-edition merchandise helped her relieve that pressure. Being able to secure popular products before they sold out reportedly gave her a sense of satisfaction and made her feel mentally relieved.
Yoshida also reportedly told investigators that she had no personal grudge against Shueisha and that the company was not specifically targeted out of hostility.
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