AICHI - A 26-year-old woman from Nagoya has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding men by encouraging them to develop romantic feelings for her before repeatedly requesting money, with 13 men reporting losses totaling approximately 30 million yen in a scheme resembling the notorious "Itadaki Joshi" romance fraud case.
The suspect, identified as Kawamura, has been arrested twice on fraud-related allegations, including an accusation that she swindled 1 million yen in cash from a man in Aichi Prefecture. Police believe she targeted middle-aged and elderly men, using romantic relationships and promises of marriage to gain their trust before asking for financial assistance.
The alleged scheme bears similarities to the case involving Mai Watanabe, who became widely known online as "Itadaki Joshi Riri-chan," or "Sugar Baby Riri." Watanabe was convicted of defrauding men by exploiting their romantic feelings and persuading them to hand over large sums of money.
One alleged victim, a man in his 60s from Gifu Prefecture, said he met Kawamura through an acquaintance and believed their relationship was progressing toward marriage.
According to the man, Kawamura explicitly discussed dating with marriage in mind, telling him in a LINE message that, given her age, she was interested only in relationships that could lead to marriage.
However, the promised marriage never materialized. Instead, Kawamura allegedly began requesting bank transfers to cover expenses such as rent.
Another man said Kawamura approached him romantically, telling him she liked him and unexpectedly sending a LINE message asking him to become her boyfriend. The relationship soon turned into repeated requests for money.
The man said he handed over 430,000 yen in cash after Kawamura claimed she needed money to settle a dispute involving an extramarital affair. Investigators believe the explanation was fabricated.
Recordings of conversations between Kawamura and one of the men reveal how she allegedly continued pressing for financial assistance even after he expressed frustration over her repeated requests.
In one exchange, Kawamura described her latest request as possibly her "last favor," apologizing while insisting she had nobody else to turn to.
The man responded that he was tired of constantly being asked for money and could no longer continue providing financial assistance.
Kawamura reportedly replied that she also disliked having to ask for money and simply wanted to meet him normally, but claimed the situation would continue unless the financial problem was resolved.
Before her arrest, Kawamura was approached by reporters who asked how she had regarded the men who claimed to have been deceived.
Rather than answering, she repeatedly threatened to call the police. When questioned about whether she had taken money through deception, she again responded that she would contact the authorities.
During police questioning, Kawamura denied the fraud allegations, reportedly stating, "It is true that I borrowed money, but I intended to repay it."
A total of 13 men have come forward claiming to have been victimized, with their combined losses estimated at approximately 30 million yen.
Police are continuing their investigation into Kawamura's activities, including whether she was involved in additional fraudulent transactions beyond the cases that have already led to her arrests.
Source: TBS
