Gangster boss arrested for scheming to kidnap celebrities to make porn videos for US criminals

Pham Duc Binh, 54, was among 16 people being put under investigation for numerous allegations, the police said Thursday. Also related to the case, Lao police have also put four others under investigation.

Senior colonel Le Khac Son said that after Binh got out of prison in April, he began contacting several people to form a gang. As planned, they would organize events to lure in models and singers, before kidnapping them, forcing them to have sex and filming the process.

They would then transfer the videos to accomplices in the U.S., and the clips would be spread on porn websites for profit.

The gang then called for investment and divided tasks among members. Binh contacted people to buy guns and ammunition to ship them to Vietnam.

Police of HCMC on Nov. 3 busted a luxurious apartment complex in Thu Duc City to arrest Binh and several others. Several weapons were also seized at the scene.

Binh is a notorious gangster boss who was sent to prison multiple times.

In 2005, he was part of a gang that kidnapped the son of banking tycoon Tram Be for US$10 million ransom.

He was sentenced to prison for 28 years two years later for kidnapping and illegal weapon trade.