On 15/8, after two days of trial and deliberation, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced 65 defendants in a gambling case at the Lucas Palace club in Hanoi.
Of the 22 individuals tried for "organizing gambling," ringleaders Tran Xuan Minh, 35, and Dao Anh Dung, 32, each received 6-year prison sentences and fines of 50 million VND. The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 2 years suspended to 4 years in prison.
Most defendants were between 20 and 30 years old. The youngest was a 21-year-old student, and the oldest was a former Vietnam Maritime Administration official and a former officer of the Institute of Science and Technology at the Ministry of Public Security. The rest were freelancers.
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Defendants listen to the verdict on the afternoon of 15/8. Photo: Thanh Lam |
Defendants listen to the verdict on the afternoon of 15/8. Photo: Thanh Lam
The other 41 individuals received sentences ranging from 20 months suspended to 3 years in prison for gambling. This group included 5 individuals of Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese nationalities, who were provided with interpreters and legal counsel. They received sentences from 2 to 3.5 years and will be deported from Vietnam after serving their time.
The case came to light on 15/10/2023, when the Ministry of Public Security's investigative police conducted an administrative check at the Lucas Palace Club at the Belleville project in Hanoi's Cau Giay district. They caught several individuals gambling, playing poker with chips.
The investigation revealed that TPT Service Co., Ltd., jointly owned by Dung and Minh, rented two apartments at The Belleville project to establish the Lucas Palace Club. They obtained permits to organize recreational poker tournaments.
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The 5 foreign defendants. Photo: Danh Lam |
The 5 foreign defendants. Photo: Danh Lam
In late 2021, due to low customer turnout, the two owners agreed to hold poker tournaments in VIP rooms to profit from commissions. In 3/2022, they began advertising and inviting customers to gamble at the Lucas Palace Club.
Taking a 5% cut from winnings
The club hosted gambling daily from 2 PM to midnight. Players exchanged cash for chips with denominations ranging from 10,000 to 200,000 VND.
While there was no participation fee, the club took a 5% commission from the winnings. Players exchanged cash or transferred money to 6 bank accounts managed by employee Dang Van Hung to obtain chips.
At the end of each gambling day, Hung sent financial reports to Dung and Minh. Monthly, employee Le Minh Hoang compiled these reports and created payroll documents for Dung and Minh's approval.
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65 defendants were tried by the Hanoi People's Court over two days. Photo: Danh Lam |
65 defendants were tried by the Hanoi People's Court over two days. Photo: Danh Lam
Authorities determined the gambling operation was well-organized, with dedicated staff for advertising, membership cards, and contacting regular customers.
Based on investigative documents and bank statements, authorities confirmed 41 individuals participated in the gambling, with the highest individual loss exceeding 350 million VND.
In court, these individuals admitted to the gambling and the amounts involved, claiming they were invited or driven by addiction. The foreign nationals claimed ignorance of the illegality, pleading for leniency.
The verdict established that Minh and Dung each profited 400 million VND, while Hoang profited 250 million VND. The total profit for the 22 defendants charged with organizing gambling was nearly 2.9 billion VND.
Thanh Lam
