2 Vietnamese KOLs arrested for trading counterfeit food, deceiving customers

The Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Agency announced that detention and search warrants were executed against Pham Quang Linh, known as Quang Linh Vlogs, member of the board of directors at Chi Em Rot (CER) Group Joint Stock Company, and Nguyen Thi Thai Hang, known as Hang Du Muc, chairwoman of Chi Em Rot.

They face charges of "manufacturing and trading of counterfeit food or food additives" and "deceiving customers".

Police arrest Nguyen Thi Thai Hang, known as Hang Du Muc, April 4, 2025. Photo by police

The three other detained individuals are Nguyen Phong, chairman of Asia Life JSC; Le Tuan Linh, director and legal representative of Chi Em Rot Group JSC; and Le Thanh Cong, also a board member of Chi Em Rot.

Prior to their arrests, Hang Du Muc, Quang Linh Vlogs, and Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien had promoted the Kera vegetable candy product through livestreams on social media as a replacement to vegetables.

Pham Quang Linh, or Quang Linh Vlog, listens as police read a statement to place him under arrest, April 4, 2025. Photo by Linh Dan

The product, launched late last year by CER Group in Ho Chi Minh City, was manufactured by Asia Life JSC in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

Le Tuan Linh, CEO of CER, had previously stated publicly that all ingredients were locally sourced, guaranteeing high quality and clear origins.

However, claims by the three influencers Linh, Hang and Tien that "one candy replaces a plate of vegetables" was found to be false. Tests conducted by the state-run Quality Assurance and Testing Center 2 revealed each box of 30 candies contained only 0.51 grams of fiber, significantly lower than the advertised claims.

(From L) Quang Linh Vlog, Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, and Hang Du Muc in a screenshot photo during a livestream on social media to promote the Kera candy product.

Before their arrest, both Linh and Hang had been fined VND70 million (US$2,720) each for improper advertising practices, and Tien was fined VND25 million and received a travel ban.

All three were required to issue corrections to their misleading claims.

On March 14, Linh and Hang joined CER representatives in a public apology to consumers over the inaccurate advertisements.

The company stated it had sold more than 100,000 boxes and pledged to issue refunds to customers. Each box, containing 30 candies, was sold for VND150,000–165,000 on various online marketplaces.

Preliminary test results released on March 20 by the Vietnam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health confirmed the exaggeration of advertising claims but clarified that the candy met basic standards for sugar, protein, fat, and calories. The fiber content was not specifically verified by this authority.

Following public backlash, the Ministry of Public Security initiated a formal investigation. Authorities concluded that false claims about the candy had seriously harmed consumer rights, prompting further investigations into additional violations by the involved parties.

Authorities urge individuals and organizations who have purchased any of the Kera candy boxes to contact the Ministry’s Investigation Agency (Room 3-C01, 47 Pham Van Dong Street, Mai Dich Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi) for guidance on legal recourse.