The suspects in the largest ever gambling ring discovered in HCM City. Photo courtesy of the HCM City Police

HCM CITY — The HCM City police have busted what they said was the city’s largest ever online gambling ring, one that had carried out betting transactions worth nearly VNĐ90 trillion (US$3.94 billion).

The police department’s cyber-security and hi-tech crime prevention division said on Thursday the ring had used crypto currencies worth at least VNĐ87.612 trillion and was led by Huỳnh Long Bạch, Huỳnh Long Nhu, Phạm Thị Mai Ngân, and Nguyễn Đắc Quý. 

The suspects confessed to using two websites, NAGA and Swift Finance, that acted as a link between gamblers and a foreign gambling server, Evo.

They received commissions from gamblers.

To lure gamblers, they even mentioned the websites on social media platforms with claims of possible large winnings, insurance and refunds if they lost. 

Gamblers needed to create an account and buy crypto currencies to make bets.

When the number of gamblers reached a certain level, the suspects would deliberately crash the websites to appropriate their stakes and evade authorities.

The police have set up a special team to further investigate into the case.

The cyber-security and hi-tech crime prevention division last month crushed another online gambling ring, arresting 59 and seizing more than VNĐ21 billion ($920,276) worth of cash and other items.

The seizures also included land certificates, receipts, deposit contracts for land transactions, and others.

Large gambling operations have been found across the country, affecting order and security, according to the police. — VNS