VietNamNet Bridge – The People’s Procuracy of northern Phu Tho Province said VND372 billion ($15.9 million) that three mobile operators had earned from the recent massive online gambling ring would be confiscated.

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Online gambling game Rikvip, which was later renamed Tip.club. – Photo laodong.vn

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 VND10 trillion ($429 million).

Three mobile operators earned VND1.23 trillion ($52.8 million). Specifically, Viettel gained VND913 billion ($39.2 million), Vinaphone VND148 billion ($6.3 million) and MobiFone VND171 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 VND372 billion ($15.9 million) is set to be confiscated.

Specifically, Viettel will lose VND274 billion ($11.7 million), VinaFone VND60 billion ($2.5 million) and MobiFone VND38 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 VND9.8 trillion ($426 million), involving high-ranking police officials.

Phan Van Vinh, former Lieutenant General and head of the General Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), and Nguyen Thanh Hoa, 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”. 

Source: VNS