$12.8M Crypto Laundry Exposed: Vietnam Indicts Operators of Anime Piracy Giant HiAnime

The U.S. Motion Picture Association (MPA) and Vietnamese law enforcement have achieved a landmark legal milestone as Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy officially indicted seven individuals behind HiAnime, one of the largest illegal streaming operations in internet history. Previously operating under the aliases Zoro.to and Aniwatch, the piracy network generated over 150 million monthly visits before abruptly going offline in March 2026. According to court documents transferred to the Hanoi People’s Court, the ring collected 12.85 million USDT in illicit ad revenues and laundered funds into luxury real estate and supercars.

Key Information

• Case Entity: HiAnime Network (Formerly Zoro.to / Aniwatch / Sflix / 9animetv)
• Investigating Authority: Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam / Hanoi People’s Court
• Complainant Organization:Motion Picture Association (MPA) / Rouse Law Firm
• Total Defendants: 7 Operators (4 Charged with Money Laundering & Copyright Infringement)
• Illicit Revenue Generated: 12.85 Million USDT (Approx. $12.85 Million USD)
• Catalog Size: 26,000 TV Series and 7,500 Anime Titles
• Article Source:TorrentFreak

How Did the HiAnime Piracy Ring Generate $12.85 Million in Ad Revenues?

According to the official indictment, ringleader Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa launched the operation in 2019, recruiting specialized developers to build user-friendly streaming interfaces designed to bypass copyright filters.

The network division of labor was strictly managed:

• Nguyễn Trung Anh: Managed server architecture, renting hosting space from Evoluso and leveraging Cloudflare routing systems to shield origin IPs.
• Nguyễn Đình Xuân: Acted as primary software programmer for site functionality.
• Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh: Designed web interfaces and coordinated advertising payout wallets.
• Nguyễn Phước Toàn: Moderated pirate community channels across platforms like Reddit.

Monetization was driven through advertising provider PropellerAds. Payouts were processed directly in cryptocurrency (USDT), with Thanh receiving 10.35 million USDT and Khoa receiving 2.5 million USDT via Binance crypto wallets.

How Did Defendants Launder Profits into Supercars and Real Estate?

Fearing detection following mounting legal pressure from the MPA and Vietnamese authorities in early 2026, the syndicate shut down HiAnime and attempted to cover their financial tracks.

The indictment outlines how each of the four core defendants converted USDT into Vietnamese Dong to acquire high-value physical assets:

• Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa: Purchased a Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-AMG G63, Land Rover Autobiography, GAC M8, and two prime land plots valued at over 24.45 billion dong ($960,000 USD).
• Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh: Acquired a residential house in Hanoi alongside a luxury vehicle fleet including a Ford Mustang, BMW Z4, Audi A7, Dodge Challenger, and Kia Carnival valued at 7.65 billion dong.
• Nguyễn Đình Xuân: Purchased a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450, Mercedes C300, and a luxury Hanoi apartment valued at 10.69 billion dong.
• Nguyễn Trung Anh: Purchased a Porsche valued at 6.85 billion dong.

Why Is the U.S. Government Monitoring the HiAnime Trial?

The prosecution of HiAnime carries significant international economic weight. In May 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a Section 301 investigation regarding Vietnam’s intellectual property enforcement practices, which could potentially trigger trade tariffs if penalties remain light.

Rights holders were frustrated in 2025 when operators of the infamous Fmovies network dodged prison terms with suspended sentences. In response, the USTR urged Vietnam to issue deterrent-level prison sentences for commercial piracy rings. Vietnam has cited the HiAnime prosecution to demonstrate its commitment to copyright enforcement as trial proceedings commence at the Hanoi People’s Court.

Anime fans seeking safe, high-quality streams can access licensed shows through legal platforms including Crunchyroll, Tubi TV, and HIDIVE.