PHÚ THỌ — The People’s Procuracy of northern Phú Thọ Province said VNĐ372 billion ($15.9 million) that three mobile operators had earned from the recent massive online gambling ring would be confiscated.

According to an indictment, after more than two years operating software via the card game rikvip/tip.club, an online gambling ring had managed to attract nearly 4.3 million accounts, bringing in revenue of nearly VNĐ10 trillion ($429 million).

Three mobile operators earned VNĐ1.23 trillion ($52.8 million). Specifically, Viettel gained VNĐ913 billion ($39.2 million), Vinaphone VNĐ148 billion ($6.3 million) and MobiFone VNĐ171 billion ($7.3 million).

The money was proven to have originated from gambling, so had to be returned by the mobile operators.

After deducting taxes the operators have paid, the remaining amount of more than VNĐ372 billion ($15.9 million) is set to be confiscated.

Specifically, Viettel will lose VNĐ274 billion ($11.7 million), VinaFone VNĐ60 billion ($2.5 million) and MobiFone VNĐ38 billion ($1.6 million).

The People’s Procuracy also required intermediary payment companies and 33 banks to re-pay the money earned from the online gambling ring.

The People’s Procuracy has completed the case file on the police-backed online gambling ring worth VNĐ9.8 trillion ($426 million), involving high-ranking police officials.

Phan Văn Vĩnh, former Lieutenant General and head of the General Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), and Nguyễn Thanh Hóa, former head of the Hi-tech Crimes Police Department, have been taken into custody on charges of “abusing position and power while performing duties” in activities relating to a major online gambling ring. The northern province’s police were asked to bring to court charges against 92 people, facing a total of seven criminal offences, from organising gambling activities and purchasing fake invoices to money laundering, bribery and abuse of power.

They were also accused of “using the internet to appropriate assets, organise gambling, gamble, illegally trade invoices and launder money”. – VNS