Appeal for Perth Grandmother Donna Nelson in Japanese Drug Conviction Case

Donna Nelson, a Perth grandmother serving six years in Japanese prison for methamphetamine smuggling, is appealing her conviction with evidence from a romance scam expert. Lawyers argue Nelson was manipulated into carrying the drugs and did not know she was involved in drug trafficking. The appeal, which begins today, focuses on "hindsight bias" and evidence from Monash University expert Monica Whitty.

A Perth grandmother, Donna Nelson, is set to launch an appeal against her six-year sentence for smuggling methamphetamine into Japan. The appeal, scheduled for today in Tokyo's High Court, hinges on new evidence from a romance scam expert who claims Nelson was manipulated and unaware of the drugs she was carrying [1].

Nelson, 58, was arrested at Tokyo's Narita Airport in January 2023 after a bag containing two kilograms of methamphetamine was found in her luggage. She had traveled to Japan to meet a man she had been in an online romance with for two years. Her lawyers argue that Nelson was a victim of a sophisticated romance scam, with evidence from Monash University's Monica Whitty supporting this claim [1].

Whitty's evidence points out that romance scam victims are often at a vulnerable point in their lives and are easily manipulated. She argues that Nelson, who was lonely and seeking an 'ideal' relationship, was an easy target for the scammer, known as Kelly. The defense claims that Nelson's actions should not be judged with 'hindsight bias', as she did not know the true nature of the bag she was carrying [1].

The appeal comes as Nelson's daughters express optimism about her chances of success. Ashlee Charles, one of Nelson's daughters, told the ABC that her mother is feeling "really positive" about the appeal. The family is preparing for any outcome, including a potential prisoner transfer to Australia if the appeal fails [1].

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Ecuadorean drug lord Adolfo Macias Villamar, known as "Fito," has been extradited to the United States to face charges of drug and weapons trafficking. Macias, who was serving a 34-year sentence in Ecuador, will plead not guilty to the charges in a Brooklyn federal court [2].

References:

[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-24/donna-nelson-launches-appeal-against-japan-drug-conviction/105565572

[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/21/ecuadors-biggest-drug-lord-fito-extradited-to-us-to-plead-not-guilty