Thanh Hóa police dismantle online football betting network

On 3 August 2026, the Criminal Police Department of Thanh Hóa Province announced that it had successfully dismantled a large internet‑based football betting ring that operated during the 2026 World Cup. The operation was led by Nguyen Thế Tuấn Anh (born 1997, resident of Hạc Thanh ward) who acted as an agent and recruited Cao Thái Sơn (born 2000, also of Hạc Thanh) to expand the scheme.

According to the investigation, an unidentified individual known only as “Quân” provided two agent accounts with a total limit of US$20,000 (converted at VND 20,000 per USD). Tuấn Anh used these accounts to create multiple member accounts, including one for Son “Bờm”, who raised the conversion rate to VND 40,000 per USD and placed bets on dozens of World Cup matches and other international games. Police searched the residences of the suspects in Hạc Thanh ward and the communes of Hoằng Xuyên and Hoằng Thanh, identifying additional participants such as Lê Tuấn Anh, Hoàng Chí Hòa, Nguyễn Thế Hiếu, Lê Thành Nhân and Nguyễn Viết Chính.

The investigation remains ongoing, with arrests pending and the case being prepared for prosecution under Vietnamese law.