Police in Ho Chi Minh City said on Thursday that they had broken up an illegal gambling ring involving many Vietnamese people at a luxury hotel in District 3, confiscating over US$160,000.
Police officers checked Diamond Club, located inside the Ramana Saigon Hotel on Le Van Sy Street in District 3, on December 17, 2024 and found the club was illegally organizing gambling for Vietnamese people.
One gambler was even wagering a whopping $725,445.
Police officers seized $146,297 and nearly VND420 million ($16,487) in cash, along with many other exhibits.
The club got a license to provide reward-based video games to foreigners but illegally organized gambling for Vietnamese nationals.
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| Pham Trinh Phong, 48, the investor of Diamond Club, was identified as the mastermind of the case. Photo: Supplied |
A preliminary investigation revealed that Pham Trinh Phong, 48, the investor behind Diamond Club, instructed Pham Thi Thanh Hang, 44, the club's deputy general director, along with managers, shift leaders, and receptionists, to recruit and encourage Vietnamese gamblers.
On December 31, Ho Chi Minh City police initiated legal proceedings and arrested 12 individuals, including Phong, Hang, and other staff members of Diamond Club, as well as gamblers, on charges of gambling and organizing gambling activities.
As the investigation progressed, police detained an additional seven individuals on similar charges.
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