Scam Ringleader Surrenders After 3 Years on the Run, Saying “I Want to Go Back to Japan”

He returned to Japan after calling the Metropolitan Police Department himself

“I’m tired. I want to go back to Japan.”

The leader of a kakeko (fraud call) group brought an end to over three years of life on the run by calling the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department himself.

“On September 9, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Anti-Organized Crime Division announced the arrest of Shinpei Hasumi (42), whose address and occupation are unknown, on suspicion of computer fraud and other charges. Hasumi is believed to be the leader of a special fraud group responsible for making deceptive phone calls — known as a kakeko. He contacted the police himself in August and was arrested upon returning to Japan on the 8th.” — (National newspaper social affairs reporter)

Hasumi is suspected of conspiring with accomplices on May 14, 2022, to deceive a then-68-year-old woman in Ibaraki Prefecture by posing as a city official. They allegedly claimed she was eligible for a refund of her nursing care insurance premiums and tricked her into transferring about 500,000 yen (~$3,300 USD) into a bank account.

At around 8:30 a.m. on the 10th, Hasumi appeared at the transport entrance of the Asakusa Police Station to be transferred to the prosecutors’ office. With his head down the entire time, he boarded the police van without showing any expression. Though his emotions were unreadable, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion radiated from his body.

“Between March and June 2022, Hasumi’s group is believed to have used a list of elderly women to make scam calls and defrauded 118 people in 30 prefectures out of approximately 100 million yen (~$660,000 USD).”

The group had a highly organized structure with clearly defined roles:

Kakeko (callers) who made fraudulent calls

Dashiko (money mules) who withdrew the money from bank accounts

Logistics staff who secured base locations for the kakeko operations

After scamming the woman in Ibaraki, Hasumi fled to Vietnam in late May 2022. Two years later, he moved to Thailand, where he remained. Reportedly, shortly after Hasumi left Japan, the group suffered a devastating blow.

“In June 2022, the police raided an apartment in Setagaya, Tokyo — believed to be the group’s base of operations — and arrested 11 individuals, including gang members. With Hasumi’s recent arrest, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police consider the group to be virtually dismantled.” — (Same social affairs reporter)

Hasumi is currently remaining silent during questioning. So, what direction will the investigation take next? Crime journalist Taihei Ogawa explains:

“Even if Hasumi’s group scammed 100 million yen, the money would still be in Japan. Unless someone transferred it abroad, Hasumi wouldn’t have been able to access it. Also, Thailand is no longer as cheap as it used to be, so his living situation may have become difficult. By voluntarily turning himself in, Hasumi may be granted some leniency in sentencing.

Although the police announced his silence, even if he starts cooperating, they likely won’t make that public. Even if the group is dismantled, there may still be people involved. Since Hasumi will eventually return to society, the authorities are likely taking measures to ensure his safety while he’s in custody.”

In front of the cameras, Hasumi appeared completely exhausted.

Though he remains in custody, perhaps he now feels a small sense of relief after ending his long fugitive life.