The People's Court of Bac Giang Province in Vietnam held a trial for a case involving the deception of minors to leave the country, involving two Vietnamese women, Vũ Hoàng Anh (born in 2005) and Vương Thị Ngọc (born in 1999).
In the case, the two women, through promises made by a Chinese man, deceived several Vietnamese people, especially minors, to work illegally in Cambodia, ultimately leading to the victims suffering abuse and exploitation.
In September 2023, Vũ Hoàng Anh illegally crossed into Cambodia and began working at a company operated by foreigners. She established contact with a Chinese man named Chu Thiên, who promised that for every Vietnamese person Hoàng Anh could recruit to work in Cambodia, she would receive an introduction fee of 100 to 300 US dollars, and the job involved simply communicating with clients via computer messages.
In October of the same year, Hoàng Anh contacted her nephew Trần Khắc Hiếu (born in 2008), promising him a well-paying job in Cambodia. However, upon arrival, Hiếu found the job was completely different from what was promised; he was forced to engage in social network scam activities.
Unable to cope with the job, Hiếu was fired and forced to pay high transportation and meal fees. After suffering abuse, Hiếu was helped by his family and eventually returned to Vietnam in February 2024.
In March 2024, Hoàng Anh continued to deceive another minor from the same village, Đinh Văn Hải (born in 2008), to work in Cambodia.
Hải was also deceived into going to Cambodia, but upon arrival, he was forced into similar scam activities and, failing to meet income requirements, suffered abuse. Eventually, Hải was fired in May 2024 and required to repay the company's expenses. After returning to Vietnam, Hải reported the case to the police.
After the incident was exposed, Vũ Hoàng Anh and Vương Thị Ngọc surrendered themselves and admitted to the crime of deceiving minors. The court ultimately sentenced Vũ Hoàng Anh to 5 years and 6 months in prison for "organizing others to flee the country," while Vương Thị Ngọc received a sentence of 1 year and 6 months.
The court noted that the involvement of minors made the circumstances severe, thus warranting a heavier sentence.
This case has revealed a criminal network that recruits victims through false promises and illegal means, also reflecting the severe consequences of transnational crimes on minors.
