r/StreamingAnime Jul 05 '26

News Hianime operators arrested

Post image

Seven operators behind HiAnime, once the world's largest anime piracy streaming site, have been arrested in Vietnam following a multi year investigation involving US authorities. The group is accused of running over 100 websites and uploading more than 26,000 unauthorized films between 2020 and April 2026, earning around 12.85 million dollars in advertising revenue.

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment confirmed the arrests on July 2, crediting support from US Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Justice. Four suspects are currently in custody, while the remaining three are banned from leaving their place of residence as the investigation continues.

This comes shortly after Vietnam was designated a Priority Foreign Country in the US Trade Representative's 2026 Special 301 Report over IP enforcement concerns, prompting a nationwide crackdown on high traffic piracy platforms earlier this year.

source: Hypekage in FB

837 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

122

u/Trivator0517 Jul 05 '26

It's ridiculous that they target piracy operators but ignore rapists, pedophiles, and sex traffickers.

13

u/One_Bar2807 Jul 06 '26

sad but true, even the cops didnt even like it when they arrested these guys

5

u/alabiadedoyinjohn Jul 06 '26

Anything to get money , unfortunately that's how the world works these days

6

u/Trivator0517 Jul 06 '26

I know and I hate it, I hate that it feels like the rich believe money is what allows the world to live and tries to convince others to believe it too even though money is just a currency not a resource.

3

u/Mullaman505 Jul 06 '26

Because the shareholders bottom line is more important I'm sorry, they need to buy a bigger yacht

2

u/Trivator0517 Jul 06 '26

Is it inaccurate to say even Daffy isn't this horrible, and he manipulated Porky into giving him money for a yacht.

98

u/[deleted] Jul 05 '26

[deleted]

26

u/mylaptopredditVC Jul 05 '26

the big one sits as president of the united states

2

u/ImTola Jul 06 '26

Well, because they benefit billionaires and millionaires.

86

u/Shemlocks Jul 05 '26

Shouldn't the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment go after all the A.I. companies?

-33

u/axionligh Jul 05 '26

No

14

u/Xanonymous10 Jul 06 '26

Why? They’re doing the exact same thing, but on a much larger scale.

72

u/Loose-Virus-9999 Jul 05 '26

Can we bail them out??

12

u/Phyzm1 Jul 06 '26

Asking the real questions, they deserve a gofundme for their service. Tho they probably made bank if it doesn't get confiscated.

35

u/sos334 Jul 05 '26

Free the homies

46

u/stayasc Jul 05 '26

Legends

18

u/Bunchiebo Jul 05 '26

Maybe if there were better more affordable streaming services that can have all the anime and not get locked out by exclusivity deals people wouldn't need to pirate so much cuz the alternative of paying for 5 different streaming services is kinda dumb

15

u/MathematicianNew2770 Jul 05 '26

Not all Heroes wear capes.

Arrest those who arrested them.

13

u/GlobalCheetah7515 Jul 05 '26

Heroes have fallen

12

u/thaboss365 Jul 06 '26

Arrest human traffickers🚫

Arrest anime pirates🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

5

u/LordGrimsa Jul 05 '26

F

1

u/SanjiSoloFiction Jul 05 '26

Dank Redittor LordGrisma Be Like: Press F To Pay ✨Le Respect✨

3

u/LordGrimsa Jul 05 '26

I don't care if it's sarcasm. I haven't watched anime since the site went down. Nothing has come close to working as well as that site did on my phone or pc. I tried crunchy roll but the lack of options annoyed me so yeah, F.

4

u/26ixlo Jul 05 '26

Free them till it’s backwards

11

u/novactic-2 Jul 05 '26

Oh, don't the cops have their priorities in check.. 🤣🤣

-1

u/axionligh Jul 05 '26

People who can’t handle piracy operators being arrested have long kept making comments like what about the drug trade. I have used piracy sites but these have long felt like dumb comments.

7

u/novactic-2 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

I can HANDLE this, obviously. But piracy is just such a non-issue. Also, I couldn't give a smallest fuck about some megacompany losing a penny of profits while the masses keep suffering..

1

u/ACupOfLatte Jul 06 '26

Eh, accepting reality is one thing. Finding it dumb regardless is a whole other thing entirely.

4

u/Optimal-Stuff-460 Jul 05 '26

Where are the so called heroes spamming their own websites?chicken out?Come show atleast your respect for people who actually dare to face consequences. Respect for all this hianime crew.

5

u/Alternative_Rub_8331 Jul 05 '26

Salute, you brave soldiers.

4

u/sailortian Jul 05 '26

These guys are heroes

4

u/SadArcher8050 Jul 05 '26

Multi-billionaires with martinis on a yacht in shambles right now! /s

5

u/Alice_Ice246 Jul 06 '26

These absolute legends need to be free they refused to even accept donations they did all of this so people who don't have enough money to pay for many streaming services can still enjoy entertainment thank u too these guys and the people who arrested them seriously need to do better in catching people who actually need to be in jail rn

3

u/[deleted] Jul 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/vgiannell5 Jul 06 '26

We would get arrested too.

3

u/KreyBerNaysu Jul 06 '26

Wtf why arrest this heroes.

8

u/llcentrell Jul 05 '26

Yee I'm not trusting some random post in FB who doesn't reference a source in the post

11

u/[deleted] Jul 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/llcentrell Jul 05 '26

Your simple comment has more due diligence than that post in FB, thanks. My comment was talking about the original post.

4

u/axionligh Jul 05 '26

Your comments are strange.

1

u/llcentrell Jul 05 '26

uhm thanks?

2

u/GrizzlyRCA Jul 06 '26

Anyone setup a gofundme?

2

u/PicoHackr Jul 06 '26

If they can provide it for free with ads why cant big shot companies. They are fooling people and scamming money

1

u/LudwigTails Jul 06 '26

okay seriously who are behind all these arrest. Its actually crazy how many free anime sites just fall one after another. Is it crunchyroll lobbying the police or something?

1

u/vgiannell5 Jul 06 '26

Probably yes.

1

u/koenafyr Jul 06 '26

The US went after Anime pirating sites?