Blonde Woman Extorts 300,000 Yen in Fake STD Test Scam Linked to Crime Group

“I want to have sex without worry.”

A court hearing was held on November 22 at the Tokyo District Court for Misaki Watanabe (28, at the time of her arrest), who is charged with fraud and other crimes for deceiving a man she met on a matching app by pretending to want to undergo a sexually transmitted disease (STD) test and tricking him into giving her about 300,000 yen.

According to the indictment, Watanabe suggested to the man,

“Recently, STDs have been spreading, so I want to get an STD test before engaging in sexual activity.”

She suggested this and fraudulently took about 300,000 yen as the cost for the test.

“During the initial trial held in October, defendant Watanabe admitted to the charges, stating there’s no mistake. At the court, she revealed the existence of an accomplice and gave vivid testimony about the method of the crime, the distribution of money with the accomplice, and the way the money was exchanged,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s judicial department.

Defendant Watanabe was wearing a black skirt and suit, but her appearance was quite out of place for the courtroom, with long blonde hair down to her waist, dark fake eyelashes, pink long nails, and stiletto heels. During the defendant’s questioning, she said:

“I regret doing this. I feel very sorry for the victim. I will return the money I took.”

She expressed words of regret, but an unbalanced impression was undeniable.

“I passed the bar exam. I’ll meet my dad tomorrow and get 1 million yen as a celebration.”.

Watanabe, who had met the man through a dating app, falsely claimed to be a 22-year-old university student and entered a rental room. She convinced him with the above statement and asked for a loan to cover the cost of a sexual health checkup.

“Watanabe is said to have performed only a handjob on the man in the rental room and suggested, ‘In order to become friends with benefits, a sexual health checkup is necessary. I will repay the cost with an extra amount.’ While it’s questionable that the victim handed over 300,000 yen as instructed, after the money was paid, the victim lost contact with Watanabe, which led to the police being consulted and the case coming to light,” according to law enforcement sources.

Watanabe had worked at a cabaret club in the past, but two years ago, she was invited by a friend to engage in enjo-kosai (compensated dating).

 

“I thought I would be killed by a ‘dakiko’ (a term for a person hired to place bets in illegal gambling activities).”

“‘En Deri’ is a coined term that combines ‘enjo kosai’ (compensated dating) and ‘deriheru’ ( delivery health), referring to underground sex work. A ‘uchi-ko’ (a messenger) posing as an amateur woman seeking compensated dating sends messages to customers through social media or dating apps to attract them. Once an appointment is made with the customer, the woman receives the contact details, checks the man’s name, clothing, and the content of their previous conversations, then guides him to a hotel.” (From an investigative source)

 

The defendant, Watanabe, is said to have received between 17,000 and 30,000 yen as payment for sexual acts, giving more than half of it to the uchiko (a person who sends messages to customers via SNS). The money that was fraudulently taken under the pretext of a sexually transmitted disease test fee was also instructed by the uchiko.

She was told, “I want you to get a high amount,” and since she needed knowledge to take money, she was instructed to mention specific clinics and legal matters. 

In order to charge the client a high fee, the defendant testified that they had received lectures on sexually transmitted diseases at a specialized clinic and on law from a runner. In this case, approximately 330,000 yen was defrauded, but the defendant stated:

“(My share was) about 130,000 yen, and the rest was given to the runner.”

When asked during the interrogation about why they didn’t mention the accomplice’s existence, they explained:

“I was scared. I thought the runner would kill me. They know my address, and I even sent my ID.”

Communication with the runner was done via a highly secure messaging app called “Signal,” and the money was exchanged in a gender-neutral public restroom in Tokyo. The defendant would place the money in the restroom, saying:

“I wait behind, and as soon as the person receiving it exits the restroom, they take it. They were wearing mask and hats, so I couldn’t see their faces. I think there are multiple runners, and also multiple people receiving the money.”

The defendant testified that there was an organized crime group behind the operation. Regarding the motive for the crime, the defendant said:

“I wanted money for entertainment and beauty.”

When the judge asked about their future, the defendant responded:

“I plan to look for a job once my seized phone is returned.”

When asked why they couldn’t look for a job without the phone, they answered:

“I need it to apply to job listings, so it would be tough without it.”

The defendant strongly requested the return of the mobile phone. The desire for easy money for leisure is extremely dangerous, as it can easily lead to connections with the underworld. Once involved, it becomes nearly impossible to escape, and this is something young people should understand more clearly.