On 7/4, the Criminal Police Department (PC02) of Hai Phong City Police announced the arrest of Vu Tung Lam (36 years old), Director of VIETCOMMS Media and Event Company Limited, and Nguyen Van Tai (34 years old), Deputy Director. They are under investigation for property extortion.

According to the investigation, Lam and Tai established VIETCOMMS company in 2024, with its headquarters located in the Waterfront Urban Area, Vinh Niem Ward, Le Chan District. They developed and managed a network of popular Facebook fanpages and groups with significant reach in Hai Phong, including: An Choi Hai Phong (533,000 members), Hai Phong - Hom Nay An Gi (332,000 members), Hai Phong Xin, and Beat Hai Phong.

Lam and Tai upon arrest. Photo: Police provided.

Initial findings from the investigation indicate that to generate income, Lam and Tai instructed their staff or utilized fake Facebook accounts to actively post and approve "review" articles and clips containing negative information or unfavorable reflections on the business operations of various restaurants and service establishments in the area.

When these posts incited public discussion and damaged reputations, business owners often reached out to request removal or to obtain information about the original poster for clarification. However, Lam and Tai consistently refused to simply remove the articles.

Instead, the pair presented a clear demand: for the negative content to be deleted and for businesses to operate without further disruption, owners had to enter into either an "Advertising Media" or a "Media Crisis Management Support" contract with VIETCOMMS.

The annual cost for these contracts ranged from 30 to 60 million dong. Fearing defamation of their brand image and potential revenue loss, many business owners, despite their frustration, felt compelled to sign the contracts and transfer money to Lam's group. The negative posts on the fanpages and groups managed by Lam and Tai were only removed after payment was successfully processed.

Hai Phong City Police are urging anyone who believes they are a victim to come forward and report their experiences to the Criminal Police Department or to contact investigator Hoang Kim Thai at 0904.127.567 for assistance.

Le Tan