Lai Chau Police arrest key figure in transnational fraud ring

Lai Chau Provincial Police have arrested Duong Phuong Thao, identified as a key intermediary in a transnational fraud ring. Thao, born in 2005, allegedly acted as a link between a foreign ringleader and a group of Vietnamese operatives.

The criminal organization utilized a scheme involving impersonating insurance employees. They contacted victims to instruct them to link their VNeID accounts to bank accounts via QR codes under the guise of receiving social welfare funds for minors. This method allowed the group to embezzle funds from accounts across various provinces in Vietnam.

This arrest follows a major operation on July 17, 2026, where authorities coordinated with international agencies to apprehend 40 Vietnamese citizens operating out of BoKeo Province, Laos. To date, the investigation has led to the indictment of 41 suspects, with total stolen assets estimated at nearly 10 billion Vietnamese dong.