Operator of Bato.to Criminally Investigated in China Following CODA Piracy Complaint

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Operator of Bato.to Criminally Investigated in China Following CODA Piracy Complaint

https://torrentfreak.com/manga-piracy-giant-bato-to-china-coda-complaint/

Bato.to’s Fall: The Man Behind the World’s Biggest Manga Piracy Empire Got Caught

Let’s be real—Bato.to wasn’t just a website. It was the Netflix of manga pirating: 350 million visits in May, $58K/month in ad cash, and a slick geoblock that pretended it wasn’t breaking Chinese law… while thriving on scanlations from everywhere else.

Enter CODA, Japan’s anti-piracy squad backed by Kodansha and Shueisha. After a year-long digital detective hunt—complete with ethical hackers and local Chinese investigators—they tracked down “Larry,” the mysterious operator hiding in Guangxi. Police raided his home. He confessed. The site went dark. And yes, he ran 60 other pirate sites, including Mangapark.io. Oof.

What’s wild? He blocked China to avoid trouble… but still sucked in global traffic like a manga-shaped black hole. Meanwhile, legal platforms are thriving. Mangaplaza’s sales doubled overnight. That’s not coincidence—that’s justice with a side of data.

This isn’t just a takedown. It’s the first time a global manga piracy ring was crushed via criminal prosecution in China. Authorities aren’t just waving warning signs—they’re knocking on doors.

But don’t relax yet. As CODA says: “New portals will rise.” The real victory? Proving that pirates can be caught. Now, let’s hope the next one doesn’t wait until it hits 350 million visits.