“Threatened with Sulfuric Acid”… The Shocking Truth Behind the “Polygamous” Man’s Grueling Brainwashing: “My Common-Law Wife Helped Set Up a Reverse Sting”
After the assault, he spoke kindly to her
The trial for defendant Haruka Ono (28 at the time of arrest)—who is charged with providing sexually explicit video recordings (including secretly filming her husband having sex with a “sugar baby”) to others, as well as attempted fraud—and her common-law partner, defendant Rin Ono (23 at the time of arrest), was held on October 6 at the Tokyo District Court.
In Part 1, we reported on the details, including Haruka Ono’s testimony during the trial.
It became clear that defendant Haruka was in a brainwashed state due to the violence inflicted by her husband, defendant Yohei Ono (39 at the time of arrest), but what was truly shocking was defendant Rin’s written statement.
“He would shove a kitchen knife into my mouth or shock me with a stun gun. There were times when he forced me out onto the balcony in just my underwear in the middle of winter. I thought I would be killed if I didn’t obey. He threatened to pour sulfuric acid on my face if I tried to escape.”
He cut me off from contact with those around me, and after assaulting me, he would have sex with me and whisper kind words,
“I was made to believe that he (Editor’s note: Defendant Yohei) was the only one who loved me,”
. Since Haruka’s written statement also detailed a history of relentless, horrific violence, the members of the public in the courtroom could not help but feel conflicted about the testimony of Rin, who is both the perpetrator and the victim.
Next, Defendant Rin’s mother took the stand. When asked how she felt upon learning of the incident,
“I couldn’t believe it. I believe we have inflicted irreparable harm on the victim. I am truly sorry,”
she apologized. Regarding Defendant Rin’s personality,
“At home, she would fool around, but outside the home, she wasn’t the type to speak up on her own,”
she said. The defendant, Rin, began living alone when she entered college. Although the family had a good relationship, contact was lost around August of her junior year. When she consulted the police , she was told , “She says she doesn’t want to talk to her mother because you’re too overprotective,” so she did not file a missing person report.The first contact in a long time came one week before her arrest. She reportedly confided to the defendant Rin, “I might get arrested.”
The moment he opened the door to a polygamous lifestyle
I learned of his arrest from the news,
“When I heard about the polygamy, I was absolutely terrified. I thought I couldn’t live here anymore, so I quit my job and moved to Tokyo, where my second daughter lives. My husband went to stay with relatives in Hyogo Prefecture,”
she said. She reunited with the defendant, Rin, for the first time in three years while he was in custody, adding , “My daughter was calmer than I expected and said, ‘I’m sorry for causing trouble.’” After his release on bail,
“We’re enjoying everyday conversations and going shopping together. I even ask my husband to make my favorite takana fried rice,”
she said, indicating that she is gradually returning to her former life.
Next, the defendant Rin took the stand. Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, she grew up in a family of four—her parents and younger sister. The family later moved to Hiroshima Prefecture, where she spent her childhood through high school; upon entering college, she began living alone in Kagawa Prefecture.
She stated that she met Defendant Yohei in April 2022. Although she did not provide details, they met in person for the first time in August of that year. Although they had agreed not to have sex, she was forced to have sex with him on the very day they met. He learned her address at that time, and Defendant Yohei began showing up unannounced at her home.
“He lingered in front of my front door for over an hour and rang the intercom about 50 times. I thought I was going to be killed, so I panicked and opened the door.”
At that very moment, the “door to a polygamous lifestyle” may have swung open as well.
From September of that year through February of the following year, Defendant Yohei began staying overnight at Defendant Rin’s home. She was told to cut off contact with her parents and was even forced to take out loans from consumer finance companies. Then, in ’23, she moved to Tokyo, and her life of polygamy began.Like defendant Haruka, she was brainwashed through severe violence and had her movements monitored via a location-sharing app, placing her under defendant Yohei’s control.
In carrying out the crimes, she was responsible for installing hidden cameras, photographing women while walking alongside them—with their IDs and a ring on her ring finger (evidence that the defendant Yohei was married)—and managing their finances.Initially, defendant Haruka also had a specific role, but she stated, “I was told (by defendant Yohei) to remove Haruka from the operation, ” and eventually came to be entrusted with overall responsibility. Following defendant Yohei’s instructions, she edited the videos and stated that “as I edited, my awareness of the criminal nature of the acts faded, ” indicating that her sense of right and wrong had become numb.
100 yen for doing something good
The proceeds were deposited into the bank account of Defendant Yohei’s mother, and the money she withdrew was placed in the safe by Defendant Rin. “Since Haruka wasn’t good at managing money and Yohei found it a hassle,” Defendant Rin managed the money and reported to Defendant Yohei. Although she also served as the “treasurer,” the only money she received from Defendant Yohei was 1,000 yen in daily allowance. Even that,
“I stopped receiving it in October ’24. A new rule was established where I’d get 100 yen for doing something good. I only had 2,000 yen in my wallet, and the money was taken away when I was scolded or when I couldn’t give Yohei the answer he expected.”
Her life became one of constantly watching Defendant Yohei’s every move. I wonder what Defendant Rin’s mother was thinking as she listened to her daughter’s testimony…
One of the victims in this case, Ms. A, was 13 years old at the time. After checking her ID and confirming she was 13, the defendant Rin
“I sent ‘13 years old’ twice in the group chat. I wanted him to stop, but since Yohei-san didn’t like it when I came into the room in the middle of things, I was too scared to say anything,”
she recalled. When asked, “What are your thoughts regarding Ms. A?” she replied,
“As an adult, I did a terrible thing to a young child who was only 13 years old. Ms. A will have to live the rest of her life in fear that someone might see the footage of her sexual activity that was secretly recorded. I am truly sorry,”
she apologized. Since the hearing that day was scheduled for two hours, the questioning of Defendant Rin concluded at this point.
The next hearing, scheduled for November, will resume with the continuation of Rin’s cross-examination.