Japan reports indictment of Vietnamese woman over 30 million yen laundering allegation
In short
Japan's National Police Agency announced October 13 that a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman had been arrested and indicted over allegedly laundering about 30 million yen in voice-phishing proceeds. Police said she acted as an intermediary between a phishing group in Japan and a money-laundering group based in Vietnam.
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Japan's National Police Agency announced October 13 the arrest of a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman over allegations that she laundered about 30 million yen obtained through voice phishing. Japanese outlets reported that she had subsequently been indicted under the country's organised crime law. Police said the alleged transfers took place in March 2025, moving funds from corporate accounts to accounts controlled by a Vietnam-based laundering group. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Police described the woman as an intermediary linking phishing perpetrators with the laundering group. The National Police Agency's cyber special investigation division and prefectural police, including Saitama, investigated the case. Nippon TV reported that Vietnamese authorities arrested seven members of the group locally. Jiji Press and Mainichi said the enforcement action followed information provided by Japanese police. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
The phishing method involves calls impersonating financial institutions and claiming that online banking credentials need updating, according to police accounts. Companies responding to automated calls are directed to fake websites, where their account IDs and passwords are stolen. Jiji reported that the perpetrators used those credentials for unauthorised transfers, then sent money through several accounts before cash withdrawals from ATMs in Japan. [ 4 , 6 ]
The funds were converted into cryptocurrency or Vietnamese currency, or used to buy goods, Yomiuri reported. Police suspected the woman of involvement in laundering additional tens of millions of yen. Mainichi cited police figures of about 80 voice-phishing cases and 2.9 billion yen in losses between October 2024 and April 2025. Police believed about 1.5 billion yen of that money went to Vietnam, the outlet reported. [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The investigation links stolen corporate banking credentials to cross-border laundering, according to police accounts carried by Japanese outlets. Police said voice-phishing attacks between October 2024 and April 2025 caused about 2.9 billion yen in losses across roughly 80 cases.
Key facts
- The woman was arrested over alleged laundering of about 30 million yen in March 2025 and subsequently indicted. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Police described her as an intermediary between phishing perpetrators and a Vietnam-based laundering group. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- Vietnamese authorities arrested seven group members locally, Nippon TV reported. [ 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The administrator of the fake website server identified in Hong Kong was unknown. Yomiuri reported that investigators had not identified the server administrator.