Vietnamese authorities have indicted seven people allegedly involved in operating HiAnime, one of the world’s largest anime piracy websites, alongside several other illegal streaming platforms. The defendants are accused of copyright infringement and, in the case of four individuals, money laundering after allegedly generating approximately $12.85 million through online advertising revenue.
According to an indictment issued by Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy, the group received 12.85 million USDT, a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar, through advertising network PropellerAds. The money was allegedly converted into Vietnamese dong and used to purchase properties and luxury vehicles, including a Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz G63 and Land Rover Autobiography.
The case involves a network of piracy websites that included HiAnime, formerly known as Zoro.to and Aniwatch, as well as Sflix/Myflixerz and 9animetv. The platforms allegedly distributed thousands of copyrighted television series and anime titles before the operation shut down in March 2026.
Seven People Indicted in Vietnam’s HiAnime Piracy Investigation
Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy has indicted seven alleged members of the piracy operation, with the case being sent to the Hanoi People’s Court for trial.
Four defendants, Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa, Nguyễn Trung Anh, Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh and Nguyễn Đình Xuân, face charges of copyright infringement and money laundering. The remaining three defendants face copyright infringement charges.
The investigation reportedly began following a complaint submitted to Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security on May 7, 2026, by Rouse, the law firm representing the Motion Picture Association (MPA) in Vietnam.
The complaint came on the same day that Vietnam launched a nationwide crackdown on piracy websites following an urgent order from the country’s Prime Minister.
The investigation eventually traced the operation back to 2019, when Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa allegedly came up with the idea of establishing piracy websites with more convenient interfaces than existing platforms.
Khoa reportedly purchased more than 100 domain names and handled search engine optimization to attract visitors. The other members had different responsibilities:
- Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa: Allegedly initiated the operation, purchased domains, managed SEO and handled advertising.
- Nguyễn Trung Anh: Managed the technical infrastructure and servers.
- Nguyễn Đình Xuân: Handled website programming and technical maintenance.
- Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh: Managed website design, operational payments and advertising revenue distribution.
- Nguyễn Phước Toàn: Was assigned to manage the Zoro, Aniwatch and HiAnime communities on Reddit.
The remaining members were also allegedly involved in supporting the piracy operation.
HiAnime Network Allegedly Distributed 33,500 Illegal Titles
The investigation identified several websites operated as part of the same piracy network, including HiAnime, Sflix/Myflixerz and 9animetv.
HiAnime was previously known as Zoro.to and later Aniwatch. At its peak, the platform reportedly attracted more than 150 million monthly visits, making it one of the most heavily visited anime piracy websites in the world.
The indictment states that between mid-2019 and March 2026, the operation illegally copied and distributed approximately 26,000 television series and 7,500 animated titles through its network of websites.
The operators allegedly continued their activities despite repeatedly receiving copyright infringement warnings through Google’s DMCA reporting system.
According to the investigation, they frequently changed website addresses to maintain access to their content and continue generating advertising revenue.
The group also relied on different hosting and storage services throughout its operation. Servers were reportedly rented through hosting provider Evoluso between 2019 and 2022, while Cloudflare services were used for storage from 2023 until March 2026.
The Motion Picture Association had previously attempted to identify the people behind HiAnime through DMCA subpoenas targeting the platform’s domains. Whether those earlier efforts provided information that contributed to the Vietnamese investigation remains unclear.
HiAnime Operators Allegedly Earned $12.85 Million Through PropellerAds
One of the most significant revelations in the indictment concerns how the piracy network generated revenue.
According to prosecutors, Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa handled advertising arrangements and communicated with advertising platform PropellerAds through Skype and Telegram.
The group allegedly placed PropellerAds advertisements across its piracy websites, generating payments based on website traffic.
Through the advertising platform, the defendants collectively received 12.85 million USDT, equivalent to approximately $12.85 million.
The indictment identifies two major recipients of these payments:
- Nguyễn Đình Minh Khoa allegedly received 2.5 million USDT beginning in 2020.
- Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh allegedly collected 10.35 million USDT through cryptocurrency wallets associated with Binance beginning in September 2023.
After deducting operational expenses, the remaining profits were reportedly divided among the four main defendants.
According to the investigation, Khoa, Trung Anh and Xuân each obtained approximately 50 billion Vietnamese dong in illegal profits, while Thanh received more than 51.3 billion dong.
The other three defendants also allegedly received portions of the proceeds for their involvement in the operation.
The case has also brought renewed attention to PropellerAds, which has previously faced criticism from Hollywood’s major film industry organizations over its presence on piracy websites.
The MPA had recommended that PropellerAds be included in the United States Trade Representative’s annual Notorious Markets List, arguing that piracy platforms used the network to generate advertising revenue. PropellerAds rejected those allegations.
Whether the advertising platform knew that the websites involved in this investigation were distributing copyrighted content without authorization remains unknown.
Porsche, Mercedes G63 and Land Rover Among Purchases Linked to Piracy Revenue
The money laundering allegations relate to how the defendants allegedly converted their cryptocurrency earnings into conventional assets.
According to the indictment, the four main defendants moved USDT through multiple cryptocurrency wallets before converting the funds into Vietnamese dong and transferring the money to personal bank accounts.
The proceeds were then allegedly used to purchase properties and expensive vehicles. Khoa reportedly spent more than 24 billion Vietnamese dong on vehicles and real estate.
His purchases allegedly included a Porsche Panamera registered in his wife’s name in January 2022. After selling that vehicle, he reportedly used the proceeds alongside additional cryptocurrency earnings to purchase a Mercedes-Benz G63 in April 2024.
The G63 was subsequently sold for approximately 8.5 billion dong, with the money reportedly contributing toward the purchase of a Land Rover Autobiography earlier in 2026.
Khoa also allegedly purchased a GAC M8 and two plots of land. Other defendants reportedly made substantial purchases as well.
Nguyễn Hoàng Thanh allegedly purchased a house in Hanoi and owned several vehicles, including a Ford Mustang, BMW Z4, Audi A7, Dodge Challenger and Kia Carnival.
Nguyễn Đình Xuân reportedly purchased a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450, Mercedes-Benz C300 and an apartment in Hanoi.
Nguyễn Trung Anh also allegedly purchased a Porsche.
The indictment details how the authorities believe revenue from the piracy network was converted into personal assets, forming the basis of the money laundering charges.
HiAnime Operators Shut Down Websites as Authorities Closed In
The investigation also revealed that the defendants allegedly began taking steps to conceal their assets before shutting down the websites.
In February 2026, Nguyễn Trung Anh reportedly registered his Porsche in his sister’s name as concerns about detection increased.
Xuân allegedly transferred ownership of a Mercedes to his father and later his sister, while also changing the vehicle’s license plate.
By March 2026, as Vietnamese authorities intensified their crackdown on copyright infringement, the defendants reportedly agreed to stop operating the websites and deleted the platforms they had used.
This was the same month HiAnime disappeared from the internet without providing users with a clear explanation.
Several months later, Vietnamese police arrested four suspected operators in July 2026, with seven individuals ultimately facing charges in the case.
HiAnime Case Draws International Attention Amid US-Vietnam Copyright Dispute
The prosecution is also attracting attention outside Vietnam because of ongoing concerns about the country’s enforcement of copyright protections.
In May 2026, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) opened a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s intellectual property enforcement practices. The investigation could potentially lead to trade measures, including tariffs.
Vietnam subsequently cited the HiAnime arrests and investigation as evidence that it was taking action against online piracy.
The case also follows the prosecution of operators behind the Fmovies piracy network, another major illegal streaming operation based in Vietnam.
However, the outcome of that case disappointed some copyright holders. Two Fmovies operators avoided prison after receiving suspended sentences in 2025.
The USTR had previously called for Vietnam to impose what it described as deterrent-level prison sentences to discourage large-scale copyright infringement.
Consequently, the HiAnime prosecution is being watched closely by international rights holders interested in whether Vietnamese authorities will pursue stronger penalties against operators of large piracy networks.
No trial date has been announced for the seven defendants. They have been indicted and are awaiting trial, meaning the allegations have yet to be established through a court judgment. Bookmark Otaku Mantra for more anime industry news and updates!
