Japanese Woman Who Extorted 1.4 Billion Won from Men, Wandering Capsule Hotels and Giving Money to Hosts

Charged with Fraud, Sentencing Scheduled for 22nd
Approached Claiming 'Family in Hardship' to Defraud Large Sum
Living in Capsule Hotel, Squandered Money at Host Bar

A Japanese woman who used social networking services (SNS) to receive money from middle-aged men and then poured that money into a host bar she frequented has been indicted. The first trial verdict is scheduled to be delivered on the 22nd (local time) at the Nagoya District Court.

On the 20th, Japanese broadcaster 'CBS Terebi' highlighted the story of Mai Watanabe (25), who lived the life of a so-called 'Baneun Yeoja (頂き女子·Itadakijoshi)' and was indicted on charges of embezzling a large sum of money.

Local prosecutors requested a 13-year prison sentence and a fine of 12 million yen (approximately 107 million KRW) for Watanabe at the trial held in March. Watanabe is accused of extorting 155 million yen (approximately 1.4 billion KRW) from men she met on SNS by claiming that her family situation was difficult.

Watanabe Mai (25), famously known as the "Receiving Woman" [Image source: YouTube capture]

Watanabe was known online by the nickname 'Riri-chan.' She lived alone near Yokohama from around the age of 19 and started going to host bars when she turned 20. Host bars are entertainment venues where male employees entertain customers, who are mainly women.

Watanabe became captivated by the charm of a host she met there. She began pouring money into meeting him. At first, she sold the room she was living in and stayed at a capsule hotel (a cheap Japanese lodging facility with only sleeping pods), eventually going into debt. Later, she worked as a hostess at other entertainment establishments and lived the life of a 'Baneun Yeoja' who borrows money from customers.

Watanabe also extorted money from men she met through matching applications (apps). Each time she received money, she recorded the details on her personal SNS, becoming especially famous among netizens for adding the phrase "I will eat well." The nickname 'Baneun Yeoja' also became popular from this time.

The targets of Watanabe's extortion were mainly 'middle-aged men who had no hope in life, felt no fulfillment in work, and came home late at night exhausted from daily work.'

She also shared tips on receiving large sums of money from middle-aged men with others. The 'Baneun Yeoja manual' she released included instructions such as "Make him voluntarily say, 'Oppa will help you.'" She even compared her 'Baneun Yeoja' technique to 'magic.' It is said that some women formed a 'Riri-chan fan club' on SNS, making her a hot topic.

Through this method, Watanabe extorted a large sum amounting to about 1.4 billion KRW, but she herself still lived poorly, surviving on canned mackerel at a capsule hotel. All the money she extorted went to the host.

Watanabe's lawyer said, "She did not commit the crime for her own entertainment but was a victim exploited by the host," and added, "Since she has faced social sanctions such as having her name and face known nationwide, we hope for leniency."