This week’s news is dominated by crime stories. Thirteen Japanese men have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a cryptocurrency tokushu sagi (special fraud) scheme operated from a base in Indonesia. Elementary school teacher Yuji Wada has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for sharing child exploitation images. The stepfather of Yuki Adachi has admitted to killing the 11-year-old boy, who he reported missing on March 23. A South Korean court sentences livestreamer Johnny Somali to six months in prison. And a man is arrested in Saitama for stealing toilet flush valves to fund a gambling habit.

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13 Japanese Men Arrested After Impersonating Police Officers in Tokushu Sagi Case 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested 13 Japanese men on suspicion of involvement in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme operated from a base in Indonesia. The suspects are accused of defrauding a woman in her 60s from Nara Prefecture of cryptocurrency worth approximately ¥8 million. Indonesian immigration authorities detained the men on March 2, and they were transferred to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Thursday.

The men were based in an upscale residential neighborhood in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta. They are suspected of conducting tokushu sagi by impersonating police officers over the phone. It is the first time Japanese nationals operating a fraud hub in Indonesia have been arrested. According to the National Police Agency, 54 Japanese nationals were detained across Southeast Asia in relation to tokushu sagi cases in 2025.

Former Teacher Sentenced to 30 Months for Sharing Child Exploitation Images

On Thursday, the Nagoya District Court sentenced former elementary school teacher Yuji Wada to 30 months in prison for sharing child pornography through a social media group chat he created. According to the indictment, Wada, whose surname was previously Moriyama, took an indecent photograph of a 9-year-old girl inside a fire station on a school trip in Aichi Prefecture, which he shared in a group chat.

“He abused his position as a teacher,” presiding Judge Mayuko Nishiwaki said. “It’s truly despicable. He bears great responsibility for causing a major shock to schools and undermining the public’s trust in teachers.” The chat group he created consisted of seven teachers who shared secretly taken images on social media. They have all been indicted. Wada is the second member of the group to receive a prison sentence.

Stepfather Arrested in Connection with Death of 11-Year-Old Yuki Adachi in Kyoto

In the early hours of Thursday, police arrested the stepfather of Yuki Adachi, the 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forested area of Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, earlier this week. According to NHK, investigators searched the suspect’s home on Wednesday and questioned him on a voluntary basis before arresting him at around 12:30 a.m. in connection with the case.

The suspect, 37-year-old Yuuki Adachi, is accused of killing his stepson between the morning of March 23 and around 4:45 p.m. on Monday and has reportedly admitted to the charge. Investigators quoted him as saying, “There is no mistake, I did it.” Police have not yet determined the cause of the boy’s death and are continuing to investigate the circumstances.

Body Found in Kyoto Identified as Missing 11-Year-Old Boy

The body of the 11-year-old student was found on Monday, about 8 kilometers northeast of the boy’s home and roughly 2 kilometers southwest of Sonobe Municipal Elementary School, which he attended. Authorities said the remains were badly decomposed, indicating that a significant amount of time may have passed since death. The autopsy indicated that the boy died sometime in late March.

He was reported missing on March 23. His stepfather initially told police that he drove him to school that morning, but he never arrived in class. Six days later, a relative found his yellow backpack in a wooded area about 3 kilometers from the school. Two weeks passed before another development. On Sunday, police found a pair of children’s shoes in a mountainous area between his home and school.

Image: Parti via JohnnySomali, background edits TW

Livestreamer Johnny Somali Sentenced to Six Months in Prison

A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced American livestreamer Ramsey Khalid Ismael, known online as Johnny Somali, to six months in prison after finding him guilty of multiple offenses including obstruction of business operations, public nuisance violations and distributing AI-generated sexually explicit content. The court also ordered that he serve his sentence in a facility where he will be required to perform labor duties.

In one case at a convenience store, he reportedly shouted at staff and played loud music. He was also accused of disruptive behavior on public transport, including harassing passengers while livestreaming and playing loud audio. Prosecutors further referenced incidents at public landmarks, including filming himself performing inappropriate acts at the “Statue of Peace” in Seoul. Ismael first gained attention in 2023 following a series of livestreamed incidents in Japan. 

Tokyo Man Arrested After Stealing Toilet Valves To Fund Gambling Habit

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department recently arrested a 49-year-old man on suspicion of a series of toilet valve thefts from public restrooms. Hisakazu Oba, a former plumber who is currently unemployed, is believed to be linked to around 80 thefts of the brass components across Tokyo and neighboring Saitama. The investigation began in December 2025 following a string of similar incidents in parks across the capital. 

Earlier this month, he was caught red-handed with four valves in his bag. Investigators spotted him exiting a public restroom in a park in Saitama with an unnaturally bulging backpack. A subsequent search revealed the stolen items, each worth approximately ¥100,000. Oba admitted to the charges, telling police he sold the valves to metal dealers. “They are easy to remove and sell for a high price,” he said.

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Updated On April 17, 2026