Philippines arrest senior member of Japanese “Luffy” fraud syndicate

Philippine authorities arrested a Japanese man wanted by Japanese authorities for thefts in Tokyo and suspected of having a senior role in the “Luffy” fraud and robbery syndicate, according to sources familiar with the case.

The suspect, Hideharu Inoue, 56, was taken by immigration officers and police operatives at a rented condominium in Manila’s Makati business district after intelligence confirmed his identity. He was reportedly carrying fake Philippine government-issued identification cards bearing a fictitious name.

Inoue is wanted under an arrest warrant issued in January by the Tokyo Summary Court for alleged theft of ATM cards from women in their 60s and 80s in Tokyo in November 2019. He is also facing a deportation warrant from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

Investigators are also looking into whether Inoue—now in immigration custody—remained involved in fraud or other crimes before his arrest. The case forms part of a broader pattern of Philippines-based arrests and detentions of Japanese suspects linked to the “Luffy” group and other related syndicates, with many eventually deported back to Japan.