Hồ Đại Dũng (left), former Vice Chairman of the Phú Thọ Provincial People’s Committee, and Ngô Ngọc Đức, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Hòa Bình City, are among the 141 prosecuted individuals. — Photo tienphong.vn

HÀ NỘI — A total of 141 people, including former high-ranking Vietnamese officials and several South Korean nationals, have been prosecuted in a sweeping illegal gambling case uncovered at King Club located inside Hà Nội's Pullman Hotel.

The case, one of the largest of its kind in recent years, involves an estimated VNĐ2.6 trillion (nearly US$107 million) in gambling transactions, according to a statement released on Friday by the Supreme People’s Procuracy.

Among those prosecuted are Hồ Đại Dũng, former Vice Chairman of the Phú Thọ Provincial People’s Committee, and Ngô Ngọc Đức, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Hòa Bình City (of former Hòa Bình Province, now Phú Thọ Province).

Prosecutors allege both men were regular players at the club, wagering millions of US dollars over several months.

King Club, operating under a license to run electronic gaming for foreigners, was managed by Việt Hải Đăng Company and operated by HS Development Vietnam (HS Company) under a business contract.

Authorities say Kim In Sung, director and legal representative of HS Company, hired three fellow South Koreans - Cho Choon Keun, Choi Jin Bok, and Shim Hawn Hee - to help manage the club. In January 2020, Kim reportedly received internal approval to open the club’s doors to Vietnamese citizens.

On June 22, 2024, police raided the club and caught 14 people gambling on electronic machines. Nearly US$1.6 million in cash and various foreign currencies were seized on-site.

Over five months, investigators say, the club allowed 145 Vietnamese gamblers to place illegal bets. Prosecutors allege that Kim In Sung was the ringleader, directing daily operations and pocketing 100 per cent of the profits.

The three South Korean managers, along with two Vietnamese executives, were accused of helping run the scheme.

Hồ Đại Dũng was charged with gambling on 95 separate occasions, wagering over $7 million in total. His largest single bet exceeded $331,000, while his smallest was nearly $5,000. He reportedly lost over $759,000.

Ngô Ngọc Đức used the alias 'Mr Lucky one' and allegedly gambled 74 times on slot machines, roulette, and baccarat. His total wagers surpassed $4.2 million, with losses of around $284,000.

Prosecutors say 136 of the defendants were Vietnamese citizens who knowingly violated the law, which prohibits them from gambling on electronic machines. Despite this, they continued betting with the King Club staff.

Investigators estimate the total money amount involved in the case at over $106 million. Kim In Sung is believed to have made more than $9.2 million in illegal profits from player losses. — VNS