The figure of the
"queen of love scams" is once again a trend, but this time from the
confinement. A handwritten letter sent from prison by the woman known as Riri-chan,
whose real name is Watanabe Mai, has caused a massive stir on
social media after being posted on the X platform in
late December 2025.
Melancholy
behind bars
The letter,
dated Dec. 23, 2025, and titled "Repentance," offers an
unusual window into the 27-year-old convict's life. With a poetic and
melancholic tone, Watanabe describes his daily routine doing manual work, such
as making paper bags, and confesses a deep confusion about his identity. In the
text, he mentions that he still has 7 years and 3 months left
to serve his full sentence, reflecting on how life in prison seems to erase his
individual personality.
The price of
the scam
The context behind these words is severe. In January 2025, the Supreme Court upheld his sentence of 8 years and 6 months in prison, in addition to an exorbitant fine of 800 million yen. Watanabe was arrested in August 2023 on charges of defrauding multiple men of more than 150 million yen through dating apps, a practice known as papa-katsu. His case was aggravated by the sale of detailed manuals where he taught psychological manipulation techniques to replicate his crimes.
Divided
reactions
The publication
has polarized the digital community in Japan. While some users interpret his
words as a genuine sign of vulnerability and introspection in the face of the
harshness of the penal system, others criticize the lack of explicit mentions
of his victims. To her detractors, phrases like her desire to "be
forgotten" resonate as echoes of the same manipulative tactics that landed
her in jail.
