Two former Vietnamese officials have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in a large-scale illegal gambling ring worth more than $100m, according to reports.
The case, which centered on the King Club casino inside Hanoi's five-star Pullman Hotel, has drawn widespread public attention due to the number of officials and high-profile individuals implicated.
The Hanoi People's Court sentenced Ho Dai Dung, former Vice Chairman of the Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee, to three years and six months in prison. He was found to have wagered over $7m across 95 gambling sessions. Ngo Ngoc Duc, a former Party Secretary of Hoa Binh City, received a three-year sentence for betting around $4.2m.
Prosecutors said the casino was licensed to serve foreign players only but Vietnamese citizens were illegally granted membership cards under false foreign names to bypass restrictions. The ring, managed by South Korean national Kim In Sung, allegedly operated between February and June 2024, hosting 145 Vietnamese gamblers with total wagers exceeding $106m.
Five individuals were convicted of organizing gambling, including three South Korean casino managers who received prison sentences ranging from two to four years, while two Vietnamese executives were handed shorter or suspended sentences.
The remaining 136 defendants faced penalties ranging from fines of VND 50m-100m ($1,900-3,800) to prison terms of up to four years and six months.
The court described the case as serious, citing its vast scale, the number of participants and the involvement of government officials, civil servants and business figures.
Kim In Sung is accused of fleeing to South Korea with more than $9m in illicit funds and remains at large, with Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security issuing a wanted notice for his arrest
