According to the authorities, the case began on August 19 when Lai Thieu Ward police received information from the South Korean Embassy in Vietnam about the detention of three of its citizens. The HCMC Criminal Police Division, in coordination with Lai Thieu Ward police and other specialized units, quickly identified the victims’ location at the Emerald Golf View Apartment Complex.
That same day, at around 6 p.m., law enforcement conducted an administrative inspection of the apartment and caught two suspects red-handed guarding the South Koreans inside.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the ringleader, identified as Luo Shenghua (alias Nam, Chinese national), had lured the victims through social media with promises of high-paying jobs in Vietnam. After the victims submitted their passport details, the group arranged airline tickets and pickup services. Trusting the offer, the South Koreans entered Vietnam on August 14 via Tan Son Nhat International Airport, were initially taken to a hotel in Thuan Giao Ward, and later transferred to the Emerald Golf View Apartment.
Once confined, Luo Shenghua and his accomplices demanded that the victims either sell their bank accounts or pay “compensation fees” totaling 4.5 million won (approximately VND80 million) to be allowed to return home. Luo Shenghua allegedly recruited and directed three Vietnamese nationals — Vong Quang Tuan, 41, from Dong Nai, Nguyen Thanh Phuc, 38, from Can Tho, and Le Van Kieu, 25, from Ca Mau — to guard the victims, promising them between VND500,000 and VND1 million per person per day.
Investigators determined that Luo Shenghua was the mastermind, orchestrating the detention, extortion, and surveillance. Vong Quang Tuan actively assisted by recruiting and arranging guards, while Nguyen Thanh Phuc and Le Van Kieu knowingly participated in the illegal scheme for financial gain.
Based on collected evidence, on August 21 the HCMC Criminal Police Division formally pressed charges, issued arrest warrants, and ordered the pre-trial detention of Luo Shenghua, Vong Quang Tuan, Nguyen Thanh Phuc, and Le Van Kieu on charges of “illegal detention.” Authorities are also pursuing additional suspects linked to the case.
HCMC police confirmed that the investigation is being expanded in coordination with other provincial forces to uncover the broader network involved in smuggling foreigners into Vietnam through fraudulent recruitment and coercion schemes, which pose serious threats to public order and security. Officials also warned the public to remain vigilant against online job offers advertising “easy work with high pay,” which are often traps set by criminal organizations.
