Last year, a curious news story went viral. It was one of those rare non-violent true crime cases that took the Internet by storm– a Japanese man amassed a total of 35 girlfriends and told them his birthday was a different day to receive several gifts. These consisted of electronics and clothing, including an expensive suit. In total, he defrauded these women out of 100,000 yen. ($925 USD) In April 2021, he was arrested in Osaka for fraud. Some online comments called him a “genius”, while others criticized his actions. But just who is Takashi Miyagawa, the mastermind behind this unique scam?
According to news reports, the 39-year-old worked part-time as a showerhead salesman, which is how he met his “girlfriends.” Originally from Kansai in southern Japan, he sold these through a multi-level marketing company that promised their hydrogen water showerheads were therapeutic for the user. (As we can see, he was already a skilled scammer.) Although 35 women fell prey to him, some investigators believe there could be more.
Miyagawa was dating these women all at the same time (I’m not sure how) and told them his birthday was a different day to receive gifts year-round. For example, he told one girlfriend his birthday was in July, another it was in April, and another that it was in February. His real birthday wasn’t until November 13th.
He formed serious relationships with each woman, telling one he planned for them to stay “together forever.” Another woman was taken aback that he kissed her on the second date. She claimed their interaction went as such:
“I don’t want to do that unless [you] are someone who wants to get married and really be with me in the future,” she said.
“I’m serious,” he replied, “I’m going to be with you for the rest of my life.’”
Needless to say, the women began to suspect something was off about Miyagawa. In February, some of them formed a “Victims’ Association” and reported him to the police. It’s unclear how the women came together, but it’s a good thing they did– they could emotionally support each other, and multiple reports strengthened their case against “Con Juan”. (His nickname from some Western media outlets.)
Miyagawa himself has been notoriously elusive when it comes to interviews. After he was arrested, he claimed, “I don’t want to say anything until I speak with a lawyer.”
According to Vice Asia, MBS News had an awkward interview with him in Osaka:
” “You’re Mr. Miyagawa, right?” the reporter asked. “No, that’s not right,” Miyagawa responded while attempting to bolt from the interview. The video comes to a peculiar end with the reporter trying to keep up with Miyagawa as he runs away.”
Although he was charged with fraud, the investigation remains ongoing.
As previously stated, this story generated a lot of buzz online. Miyagawa’s scam is funny at first glance, and there’s no doubting his charisma and intelligence. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea to praise him for this, since these women will probably have trouble trusting men for a long time. Although photos show them smiling and enjoying meals at restaurants, the pain he caused these women was lurking under the surface. He didn’t only play with their money, but their feelings as well. Each woman thought she was in a committed, monogamous relationship until it was too late.
If anything, this case proves that men can be just as materialistic as they claim women are– if not more. As stated previously, Miyagawa was praised by several Internet users, but if he was a woman, he’d be shamed as a gold-digger or sugar baby. Yes, he’d still get arrested, but would he be as widely celebrated online?
All double standards aside, my fingers remain crossed for the docuseries.
Curious History Girl 