YouTube Vigilantes Busted for Alleged Extortion

Jan 19, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Two YouTubers known as 'R Detectives (R探偵)', who specialize in recording videos where they apprehend individuals they suspect of illicit activities like voyeurism, were arrested on Tuesday for attempting to extort cash from an alleged voyeur.

Masaaki Sato (34) and Takahito Takai (33), who posted a video on YouTube capturing their attempt to detain the man they accused of voyeurism, now face legal repercussions.

The duo were involved in a scuffle with a man they accused of filming for YouTube near Yokohama Station in August 2023. During the altercation, they allegedly demanded hush money, claiming, "I hurt my wrist," "We could go to the police, but you wouldn't want that, would you?" and "How much will you pay for damages?"

While bringing another man they accused of voyeurism to a police box in Kanagawa on Tuesday, Sato and Takai discovered that arrest warrants had been issued against them and were arrested on the spot.

Social media has been critical of these 'citizen's arrest YouTubers', with comments like, "These guys aren't just citizen's arrest YouTubers, they're extortionists greedy for money," and "It seems more common for YouTubers to get arrested themselves rather than arrest others."

Despite attempting to extort money from the alleged voyeur, when they realized they wouldn’t succeed, Sato and Takai handed him over to the police and uploaded the video on YouTube, presumably for profit.

In response to the investigation, Sato denied the allegations, stating, "I never demanded money from anyone."

The police are investigating several other potential crimes associated with these individuals.

Charges Against 'Citizen's Arrest' YouTuber 'Rengoku Koroaki' Dropped

Citizen's Arrest YouTuber Busted Defrauding Girlfriend of 2.5 Million Yen by Faking Rare Disease

Ghost YouTubers busted for extorting haunted hotel 'guests'

Source: FNN

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.