Filipino Idol Arrested for Theft After Carrying Stolen Amex Card

The first trial of former underground idol Lulu John Chris (22), who was repeatedly involved in pickpocketing activities at a club in Shibuya, Tokyo, and was charged with theft, was held on September 25 at the Tokyo District Court. In the courtroom, details emerged about her systematic pickpocketing methods with accomplices and her financial struggles as an underground idol.

“Lulu, a Filipino national, was active under the stage name Ken in the idol group ‘Anniversary Start.’ She was expelled from her group immediately after her arrest, and her contract was terminated,” reported a judicial correspondent from a national newspaper.

Straight black hair with distinctly double eyelids.

According to the indictment and other documents, the defendant, 22-year-old Lulu John Chris, conspired with fellow Filipino national 23-year-old Buena Joshua Cedric Guevara to steal a wallet from a female customer’s shoulder bag at a club in Shibuya between midnight and 1:30 AM on May 25. They also stole a wallet from another customer’s pants. On that day, multiple customers reported that their wallets had gone missing, and when the staff conducted a belongings inspection upon the customers’ exit, Lulu fled the scene. Meanwhile, multiple wallets were found in the possession of Buena, who was restrained. Lulu was later arrested as well.

In court, Lulu appeared with straight black hair and distinct double eyelids, her large eyes hinting at her suitability as an idol. Regarding the charges, she admitted in Japanese, “There’s no mistake.”

“The indictment states that Lulu got to know Buena through an acquaintance in 2023, leading them to start pickpocketing. The two alternated between being the doer and the lookout, splitting the stolen money. Additionally, high-end brand wallets from Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton were sold at second-hand brand stores, and the proceeds were also split, indicating a systematic approach to their crimes,” reported a national newspaper journalist.

Regarding her motive for the crime, Lulu stated:

 

 

“I was primarily working in the entertainment industry, but I was struggling due to low income. It was difficult to take on part-time jobs because my entertainment activities took up so much time.”

She revealed her financial difficulties, adding:

“Working in the entertainment industry has been my dream since I was a child. It hasn’t gone well from the start. I believed that if I endured, I would see a future, so I was working hard towards my dream.”

However, with her recent arrest, her dream of becoming an idol has been completely shattered.

Vanity of Being an Idol

“Although Defendant Lulu showed signs of remorse, she and her accomplice had previously been marked as cautionary figures at clubs in Tokyo. They had been engaging in pickpocketing at clubs one to three times a month since August 2023, indicating habitual behavior. Additionally, they kept a valuable American Express card among the stolen credit cards in their wallet. There may have also been an element of vanity involved,” said an investigative source.

Recently, incidents involving underground idols have been on the rise.

“There are many underground idols like Defendant Lulu who are in financial distress. The close proximity to fans sometimes leads to excessive demands for support, and there have been cases where minors were subjected to indecent acts, resulting in arrests,” noted an insider.

As someone who was supposed to inspire dreams in her fans as an idol, Lulu succumbed to momentary desires and ended up crushing her own dream with her own hands. The price she pays is overwhelmingly steep.