Celebrity-linked prostitution ring busted by police

Huynh Thanh Thuan, 33, and his accomplices Pham Do Nhat Duy and Le Thi Thu Thao, both 38, were taken in by the Criminal Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) on Nov. 3.

They named him the leader of a ring that began operating at the beginning of this year, earning hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = $4,075.81) from pimping so far.

He stands accused of introducing three women – a model, a beauty queen, and a TikToker, all of whom currently work in show business – to accompany a client who wanted to hier their "services" for a two-day domestic "sex tour" on Oct. 24.

Thuan charged around VND60-100 million (US$2,440-4,066) for such services. An international 2-day tour with the same women would cost US$6,000, according to investigators.

All three women frequently appear in the mainstream media and all have large followings on social media.

Besides catching the three women engaging in "prostitution activities" in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, police also prevented an famous singer from leaving Vietnam for Singapore in an attempt to escape allegations that she accepted money for sex work under the guise of being a "travel guide."

This case is under further investigation.