“Not as Bad as a Normal Crime?” The Courtroom Defense of a Voyeur Hunter Who Used Fake Scenarios to Extort Cash

“The person who was filming secretly was the one doing wrong, so I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong.”

A trial was held on June 26 at the Tokyo District Court for defendants Ryu Aida (36 at the time of arrest), Takayasu Sugimoto (34), and Yuji Nonaka (35), who are charged with extortion for allegedly pretending to be plainclothes security guards, saying things like “You filmed that high school girl, didn’t you?” and taking cash from men through intimidation.

“For several years, so-called ‘stalking camera hunters’ or ‘secret filming hunters’ — a type of private arrest YouTuber who catches people committing voyeuristic filming — have attracted attention. The three defendants used similar tactics, extorting money from people accused of secretly filming others.

In 2025, at a commercial facility in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, defendants Sugimoto and Nonaka allegedly pretended to be plainclothes security guards and approached a man, saying, ‘You filmed that high school girl, didn’t you?’ They then took the man around to places such as a convenience store and a café.

Aida later appeared, claiming to be the girl’s father. The three staged a performance together and demanded ¥1.5 million as a settlement payment. They allegedly extorted the money from the man.”

(According to a national newspaper crime reporter)

Inside the courtroom, the three men sat at equal intervals wearing suits. Aida, a broad-built man wearing a tight-fitting suit that appeared too small for him, stood out.

During the defendant questioning held that day, Aida spoke about what led to the crime and the distorted connection between the three men.

When asked by his lawyer about the trigger for his crimes, he said:

“About 13 or 14 years ago, I happened to find someone secretly filming. When I was going to take him to the police, he said, ‘I’ll pay you money, so please let me go.’ Receiving that money was what started everything.”

Regarding his feelings at the time, he said:

“The person who was secretly filming was the one doing wrong, so I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I thought what I was doing was not as bad as an ordinary crime.”

However, after his arrest, his view changed:

“The person who filmed secretly was wrong, but I was even worse for taking advantage of the situation. I think what I did was a despicable act.”

He said he had come to regret his actions.

Aida had previously been arrested for using a similar method, making this his second offense. He explained that the reason he committed the crime again was financial hardship.

According to Aida, he previously ran a business, but it failed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said he was the victim of an investment fraud involving ¥20 million.

Around that time, he met Sugimoto after becoming involved with an illegal poker establishment. Sugimoto asked him for advice about ways to make money.

Aida said he told Sugimoto:

“I told him, ‘There is something like this (secret filming hunting).’ I said, ‘If something comes up, maybe the two of us could do it together.’”

However, he immediately added:

“I don’t recognize that I was the one who invited him.”

He emphasized that he was not the main instigator.

“I didn’t really worry about increasing my criminal record.”

Later, the third defendant, Nonaka, who was also an acquaintance from the poker establishment, joined them, and the three began committing crimes together.

Regarding the ¥1.5 million they extorted, Aida said he received ¥300,000, while Sugimoto and Nonaka split the remaining amount. When asked about the fact that his share was smaller than the other two men’s, he replied:

“I thought my role was simply to provide support, so I never felt dissatisfied about it.”

Next, prosecutors questioned him.

Aida had previously been convicted in 2014 for using a similar method. When prosecutors asked, “Since you already had a criminal record, didn’t you think about stopping?” Aida answered:

“I wasn’t really concerned about my criminal record increasing.”

Regarding his own criminal tendencies, he analyzed himself, saying:

“I realized that there were distortions in my thinking when making decisions. Those distortions came from anxiety and dissatisfaction about money.”

After the proceedings concluded, prosecutors condemned the crime as a vile and cunning act and requested a sentence of three years’ imprisonment for all three defendants.

When the presiding judge asked each of the three men if they had anything they wanted to say at the end, Nonaka responded:

“I am filled with regret and remorse toward the victim. I swear that I will never do this again, and I will work hard to compensate the victim for the damages.”

Sugimoto also expressed similar words of remorse.

Finally, Aida, who spoke last, said:

“I sincerely apologize to the victim. I will never commit another crime. If my family gives me another chance, I will do my best to become the pillar of support for my family.”

He ended with words of remorse and apology.

The verdict will be handed down on July 9. —