Tokyo police have arrested a 32-year-old Japanese woman on charges of damaging the business of Shueisha Publishing company, specializing in manga and related products. According to the investigation materials, the suspect, who works as an employee of the restaurant, organized a scheme of mass orders with subsequent cancellation of goods in the Naruto and One Piece universes for a total amount exceeding 4.3 billion yen (approximately 2.7 million US dollars).

Between 2024 and 2025, the defendant placed more than 2,000 orders through the online store Jump Characters Store, owned by Shueisha. To implement this scheme, she used 238 different fake accounts. The mechanism of action was as follows: after placing an order and sending the goods, the customer canceled the purchase or left the delivered parcels unclaimed, evading payment.

According to Japanese media, including Nippon TV News 24 and Sankei Shimbun, orders were placed with a cash-on-delivery payment upon receipt. This payment method is widely used in Japan and allows customers not to make an advance payment when placing an order through an online store, but to pay with the courier directly at the time of delivery of the goods. However, the suspect systematically violated the terms of the deal, canceling orders after they were shipped from the warehouse or ignoring delivery.

As a result of the illegal actions, Shueisha Publishing House suffered direct losses of approximately 7.5 million yen (about 47,500 US dollars). This amount includes the costs of logistics, order processing and delivery of goods that were not compensated by the buyer.

During the interrogation, the accused confessed her guilt. According to her, she is a fan of anime, and the process of ordering brought her psychological relief and allowed her to cope with everyday stress. The suspect stated that such actions satisfied her desire related to her fascination with anime culture. Law enforcement agencies are currently conducting a further investigation into the circumstances of the case.