Vietnamese-Russian model indicted for drug possession

Nhikolai and nine others were charged on Wednesday with drug-related offenses involving methamphetamine amounts ranging from 0.1 grams to less than 5 grams, carrying a possible sentence of one to five years in prison.

Three other people, a mother and her two sons, face charges of "illegal trading of narcotic substances." If convicted, they could face seven to 15 years in prison.

Nhikolai, 30, who stands 1.92 meters tall, gained public attention after competing in Vietnam's Next Top Model 2013 and has since appeared in various fashion shows and music videos. He is widely known by the nickname "the Russian hybrid male god."

According to the indictment, District 1 police conducted patrols in June 2024 and noticed Nhikolai and several others behaving suspiciously. This led to an on-the-spot arrest and an expanded investigation.

Based on the testimonies of the arrested suspects, authorities tracked down the mother and sons involved in drug distribution.

Dinh Nhikolai (L) re-enacts a drug sale process in HCMC, June 2024. Photo courtesy of the police

The mother, Tran Thi Hoa, 56, admitted to buying drugs through social media contacts, breaking them into smaller portions, and reselling them for profit. In June 2024, her two sons assisted in selling the drugs in exchange for a commission and a share of the profit.

Nhikolai confessed to purchasing crystal meth for VND250,000 (US$10) from one of Hoa's sons on June 13, 2024, intending to use it himself. However, he was caught before he could consume the drug.

He was formally detained on June 25.