Vietnam principal Nguyen Huu Hong suspended over football betting ring

Local authorities in Nhân Hòa commune, Nghệ An province suspended Nguyen Huu Hong, the principal of Đỉnh Sơn Secondary School, pending investigation into his alleged role in an online football betting network. The decision, issued on 4 August 2026, also bars him from Party activities and requires him to hand over school documents, finances and assets to the deputy principal by 5 August 2026.

Police investigations that began on 15 July 2026 uncovered two betting rings linked to the 2026 World Cup. Thirteen suspects were arrested across several communes, including eight individuals charged with organizing gambling under Article 321 of the Vietnamese Criminal Code. The networks used foreign‑sourced betting accounts that were split into multiple sub‑accounts for online wagering. Preliminary findings show that the two rings processed more than 6.6 billion VND in transactions before being dismantled. Nguyen Huu Hong is among the eight suspects identified as organizers of the illegal betting operation.