Anri Sakaguchi’s PayPay Requests Spark Legal Concerns and Arrest Warnings

A former entertainer now relying on “begging” from ordinary people to get by—.

Anri Sakaguchi, daughter of actress Ryoko Sakaguchi, who passed away in 2013, is reportedly struggling with living expenses and has been asking for money on Instagram. She displays her PayPay account and pleads:

“Please help me with PayPay. If I could, I’d like to restart my life entirely.”

 

The security number is even displayed.

As of December 6, her Instagram stories stated:

“I’m sorry, everyone. Only PayPay is usable, so please help.”

For some reason, she also made her debit card publicly visible, including the security code.

Online, concerned voices flooded in:

“Anri Sakaguchi has posted all her debit card details—is she okay? Maybe she thought there’s no risk of misuse because her balance is zero since she seems to be in financial trouble?”

A few years ago, she was active as a talent, appearing on variety shows, but in 2016, she left her agency. Shortly after, she debuted as an adult film actress.

Things began to unravel in 2017 when she attempted to extort 30,000 yen from a host club employee. In 2019, she was arrested twice, once for breaking into a former host boyfriend’s residence. (Both cases resulted in no formal charges.)

Currently, Anri Sakaguchi’s name is still listed on the website of a high-end escort service in Shinjuku, which states:

“A real celebrity! The genuine Anri Sakaguchi! Please note that Anri Sakaguchi’s services come with an additional fee of ¥32,000.”

On December 1, she reportedly worked from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM, but her future work schedule is no longer listed. Interestingly, the website claims she is 26 years old, although she should be 33.

It seems she doesn’t work much and is instead trying to supplement her living expenses by collecting money from the public via PayPay.

 

First case of Internet pimping

However, experts are pointing out the illegality of these actions.

“If someone repeatedly uses the internet to request money or goods, claiming they are ‘struggling to make a living’ without offering any form of compensation, and appealing to sympathy or pity, such acts could fall under the ‘begging’ offense stipulated in the Minor Offenses Act. However, crowdfunding or other activities involving compensation do not fall under this category,” explains lawyer Kenta Morizane of the Morizane Law Office.

In fact, in 2015, a man in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, was reported to the police for a potential violation of the Minor Offenses Act. He had been live-streaming himself asking passersby to please put New Year’s money into this cup while also soliciting money from viewers online. This was reportedly the first known instance of a net begging case being prosecuted.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) tried sending Sakaguchi ¥3,000 via PayPay, requesting a response:

“I’ll send more if you reply.”

The user then sent an additional ¥3,000 and ¥5,000 but received no reply from Sakaguchi, as shown in a screenshot they shared. This lack of response suggests the possibility that no compensation is being provided at all.

Resorting to potentially criminal acts to seek money—what would her late mother, Ryoko, think of this from heaven?