Alleged Operators of HiAnime Piracy Ring Arrested in Vietnam with U.S. Support

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Alleged Operators of HiAnime Piracy Ring Arrested in Vietnam with U.S. Support

https://torrentfreak.com/alleged-operators-of-hianime-piracy-ring-arrested-in-vietnam-with-u-s-support/

Talk about a dramatic exit. HiAnime, the anime piracy portal that raked in over 150 million monthly visits, vanished without a trace back in March. But while the site went dark, the people running it didn’t get away scot-free.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security has just arrested seven suspects linked to a massive piracy network that operated more than 100 sites, including HiAnime. The bust wasn’t a solo act; Vietnamese authorities worked closely with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). This collaboration came under intense pressure after the U.S. classified Vietnam a “Priority Foreign Country,” threatening potential trade sanctions over rampant copyright infringement.

The alleged operators, mostly young IT graduates, raked in roughly $12.8 million through ads. They paid themselves in crypto, then laundered the cash into luxury cars and real estate to legitimize the profits. One ringleader even confessed to earning $2 million personally, spending it on high-end vehicles.

Here’s the catch: rightsholders are watching closely. A previous similar case involving Fmovies resulted in suspended sentences, which frustrated U.S. officials. Vietnam has recently issued urgent directives to crack down harder, so let’s see if this HiAnime case finally delivers the deterrent prison time everyone is hoping for.