Overview
- Vietnamese authorities say they arrested and are prosecuting seven people believed to have run HiAnime, with four held in custody and three placed under house arrest as legal action continues.
- Investigators allege the operators ran more than 100 related sites from 2020 through April 2026 and uploaded roughly 26,000 unauthorized anime films to attract hundreds of millions of monthly visitors.
- Authorities estimate the network generated about $12.85 million from advertising between 2020 and April 2026, and have charged the suspects with copyright infringement and money laundering.
- The arrests followed intelligence sharing and operational support from the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment and U.S. agencies including Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Justice.
- The action fits a wider push against large streaming piracy networks that has included USTR trade pressure and multinational takedowns, and it may lead to asset seizures and further cross‑border prosecutions.