Influencer ‘Z Ri,’ 4 Other Men Arrested on Suspicion of Home Invasion; Suspect Is Known for Posting about Celebrity Scandals on X

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:45 JST, November 14, 2024

Five men, including a company executive and renowned influencer, who goes by the name “Z Ri” on social media, were arrested on suspicion of invading the home of a man the influencer had trouble with, the Metropolitan Police Department said Thursday.

According to the police, the five are suspected of conspiring to break into the house in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, on Nov. 2, 2022 while the victim, a man in his 40s, was away. They were all arrested on Wednesday. They are said to have opened the door, gone inside and taken photos of the house’s interior, then posted them on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Z Ri, 43, residing in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, had trouble with the man over some personal belongings, and solicited information on the man’s address on X, posting comments such as “Bounty \3 million; Information leading to capture \1 million.”

Z Ri has approximately 900,000 followers on X, and he has repeatedly posted information about celebrity scandals. In addition, he operates a members-only online salon where he shares information on legal gambling.