Vietnamese Man Among 4 Arrested Over Fraudulently Contracted 700-Plus Smartphones, Allegedly Used by University Students
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
The Metropolitan Police Department's Cyber Crime Countermeasures Division announced by September 11, 2026 that it had arrested four people, including Chu Ngoc Hoang, 26, an unemployed Vietnamese national living in Nishikawaguchi, Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, on suspicion of fraud. According to Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun, the group is accused of telling six university students they would pay 20,000 to 30,000 yen per device if they signed smartphone contracts under false occupations, from around 2023 to 2024. The specific arrest warrant covers an instance on July 8, 2024, in which Hoang allegedly instructed one student to obtain a fraudulent contract.
Fifty-one phones were seized from Hoang's home, and records confirmed roughly 700 phones had been sold to buy-back shops in Tokyo. Some of the fraudulently obtained phones are believed to have been used in separate phishing fraud cases. Hoang has reportedly told investigators, "I have no memory of this. I will remain silent beyond that."
Current status: Whether the other three suspects have admitted to the allegations, and the full extent of how the phones were distributed and misused, remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.