The first trial of Lin Shin-hai, a 38-year-old company director, took place at the Tokyo District Court on the 17th, where he acknowledged his involvement in a securities account hacking case. The case involves accusations of violations of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (market manipulation) and the Act on Prohibition of Unauthorized Computer Access. Lin conspired with unknown individuals to gain unauthorized access to ten accounts belonging to others, using these hacked accounts along with one under his company name, 'L&H,' to engage in fraudulent trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's standard market.

Lin reportedly manipulated stock prices by placing a large number of buy orders and executing simultaneous sell and buy orders between the hacked accounts and those of 'L&H,' effectively inflating stock prices. This series of unauthorized transactions saw a marked increase in incidents of hacking into securities accounts beginning in the spring of last year, with the Financial Services Agency documenting a staggering rise in fraud cases from 27.5 times the previous year, culminating in a peak of 3021 incidents in April 2025 and a total of 9824 cases over the year, amounting to approximately 740.5 billion yen in fraudulent transactions.

Despite Lin's admission of guilt, investigations remain ongoing, with authorities yet to identify the alleged masterminds behind the scheme. Lin's case is reported to be just a fragment of a larger trend, suggesting the likelihood of multiple criminal syndicates being involved due to the varying methods used in different fraudulent activities. This emphasizes the escalating issue of securities account hacking and the need for enhanced security measures to protect investors.