Vietnamese beauty queen arrested for fraud over fibre gummies

In a shocking turn of events in Vietnam, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, a well-known beauty queen and social media influencer, has been arrested for her involvement in a consumer fraud case. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, who gained fame after winning the Miss Grand International pageant in 2021, was promoting a product called Kera Supergreens Gummies, which she claimed were rich in fiber. However, a public outcry arose when tests revealed that the gummies did not contain the amount of fiber that was advertised. Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, along with fellow influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc, heavily marketed these gummies on their social media platforms, claiming that each gummy had the same fiber content as a plate of vegetables. This claim was soon put to the test when a concerned citizen sent the product to a laboratory for analysis. The results were alarming; each gummy contained only 16mg of fiber, far less than the 200mg that was promised. This discrepancy led to an investigation by Vietnamese authorities, who discovered that the gummies were made with substandard ingredients that were low in fiber. Furthermore, the product's packaging failed to disclose the actual fiber content and did not mention the high levels of sorbitol, a substance commonly found in laxatives. In March, the three influencers were fined for their misleading claims and issued public apologies. However, the situation escalated in April when authorities arrested Pham and Hang Du Muc, along with officials from their company and the manufacturer of the gummies. They faced serious charges for producing counterfeit goods and defrauding customers. On a recent Monday, authorities announced the arrest of Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien for allegedly deceiving consumers. Reports indicate that over 100,000 boxes of the gummies were sold before sales were halted due to the scandal. After her victory in the Bangkok-based beauty pageant, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien became a sought-after celebrity in Vietnam, collaborating with numerous brands and appearing on various reality TV shows. She even received certificates of merit from the prime minister and the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, further solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the country. This incident has raised significant concerns about the responsibility of influencers in promoting products and the potential consequences of misleading advertising.