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Vietnam’s struggles with illegal gambling continued as authorities identified the body of a man believed to have been murdered over a gambling debt. The authorities have since arrested several men in relation to the incident.
The Man Took a Loan from a Shady Group
The body of a man identified as “Hoan” was discovered on December 2, VNExpress International reported. The news outlet elaborated that the victim was a 42-year-old man from Hanoi, believed to have been murdered over a gambling debt.
The murder was tied to a group of loan sharks that have been lending money to Vietnamese residents since 2023. While Vietnam largely prohibits locals from gambling, players have been traveling to play in Cambodia’s casinos, swayed by the promise of quick riches.
The loansharking scheme in question was focused on Vietnamese gamblers playing in Cambodia and notably required its clients to play only at select casinos. Per the agreement, players were also required to pay 15% of their winnings to the lenders. To make matters worse, the group demanded quick repayments and charged high interest.
The worst of it, however, came if players were unable to repay their loans. In that case, gamblers were threatened and forced to ask their loved ones for money to repay the debt.
He Was Extorted and Murdered
According to VNExpress International’s report, Hoan visited a casino in Cambodia with his wife in November, where he proceeded to lose his savings. He then borrowed VND 100 million from the loan sharks to continue playing.
Hoan went to a different casino where he proceeded to lose another VND 200 million. He was later trapped in a room against his will where the loan sharks ordered him to call his relatives for money. Hoan reportedly tried to escape the room but was stopped. He was later driven off in a car, beaten and stabbed to death before his body was dumped in a river near Bavet City in Cambodia.
After that, the loan sharks deleted their group chat and attempted to hide.
The investigation was initiated by Hoan’s wife who contacted the authorities. Since then, officials have arrested several men, aged 28 to 36, who are believed to have been associated with the murder. These included Le Van Chung, Nguyen Hoang Long, Ngo Phi Long, Nguyen Van Tuan, and Nguyen Van Phuong, who were charged with murder, robbery and illegal detention.
Two other men, namely Nguyen Manh Hai and Tran Ngoc Binh, were also arrested and charged with robbery and illegal detention.
All of the arrestees were former Hanoi residents.
Gambling Crime Remains a Problem in Vietnam
Despite its strict stance on gambling, Vietnam has experienced its fair share of problem gambling cases too. In a shocking case from a few months ago, one man exhumed the remains of a relative in order to ransom them for money to cover his gambling debt.
In October, Vietnamese authorities cracked down on a $70 million illegal gambling ring, arresting dozens of criminals in the process.
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