The ringleaders are identified as Phan Đình Thịnh (born in 1995) and Lê Thị Trà (born in 1999) from Nghệ An Province. — Photo courtesy of the police

HÀ NỘI — Police in the central province of Nghệ An have successfully dismantled what is considered the largest organised crime syndicate uncovered in 2025 – a transnational cyber fraud ring operating in Myanmar and the Philippines.

The crackdown led to the arrest of nearly 100 individuals linked to the scheme, which is believed to have defrauded Vietnamese citizens of over VNĐ2 trillion (US$76.58 million).

The syndicate ran two major branches headquartered in Myanmar and the Philippines. According to the special task force leading the investigation, each branch was managed by a Vietnamese national and operated with the structure of a formal enterprise.

The ring was highly sophisticated, featuring a clear chain of command, distinct divisions of labour, and a tiered salary system. Members received systematic training – not only in fraudulent techniques but also in how to respond if apprehended by authorities. In total, the network is believed to have involved more than 300 individuals.

To expand its operations, the suspects continuously recruited Vietnamese citizens to work in Myanmar and the Philippines. Most recruits legally travelled to Thailand before illegally crossing the border into Myanmar, while others flew directly from Việt Nam to the Philippines to join the criminal operation.

On June 23, Nghệ An police, in coordination with specialised units from the Ministry of Public Security, police of other localities, border control agencies, and other relevant forces nationwide, launched a large-scaled and coordinated crackdown. Hundreds of officers executed simultaneous raids, resulting in the urgent arrest and search of nearly 100 suspects across Nghệ An and several other provinces and cities. Some individuals were apprehended immediately upon re-entering Việt Nam. 

Some suspects were detained right upon returning to Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of the police

Two individuals identified as ringleaders are Phan Đình Thịnh (born in 1995) and Lê Thị Trà (born in 1999), both residents of Hưng Đạo Commune, Hưng Nguyên District of Nghe An.

Preliminary confessions from the suspects revealed their involvement in hundreds of fraud cases across the country, with total losses exceeding VNĐ2 trillion. In one striking case, a victim in HCM City lost over VNĐ41 billion within just one to two days. Another victim in Vinh City of Nghệ An was defrauded of VNĐ15.4 billion.

All suspects have been formally charged and detained under Clause 4, Article 174 of the Penal Code for "swindling to appropriate property". Investigations are ongoing to identify additional members of the syndicate and bring them to justice in accordance with the law. — VNA/VNS