Ma Cai, 50, received a six-year sentence on 13/5 from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court for extortion and illegal detention. His two compatriots, Li Chuang and Fan Guo Hui, each received five years in prison for their roles in the crime.

Le Thi Bich Xuyen, from Can Tho, was sentenced to four years in prison, while Huynh Van Toan, residing in Gia Lai, received three years in prison for the same charges. Tran Sinh Phi, Nguyen Thanh Loi, and Nguyen Thanh Vu, also from Gia Lai, were each sentenced to two years in prison for illegal detention.

The Trial Panel stated that the defendants' actions were particularly dangerous. They infringed upon personal liberty and property rights, disrupted public order, and negatively impacted Vietnam's investment environment and social security. However, the court considered mitigating factors such as their sincere confessions, remorse, and good personal backgrounds.

Defendant Ma Cai (top, in blue shirt) and his accomplices in court today. Photo: Binh Nguyen

In court, the defendants admitted to the offenses outlined in the indictment. Needing money, Ma Cai was hired by a compatriot to come to Vietnam to collect a debt from Ye Sun Jun. Ma Cai then recruited Li Chuang, hired Le Thi Bich Xuyen as a translator, and organized a group of Vietnamese individuals for support, promising them 500,000 Chinese yuan (approximately 1,7 billion VND).

On 9/2/2025, Li Chuang and Xuyen returned to Vietnam from Laos. They hired additional individuals to track and detain the victim, promising Tran Sinh Phi's group 1,5 billion VND.

On the evening of 27/2/2025, after locating Ye Sun Jun dining in District 7, the group used a car to block his vehicle. Fan Guohui pulled the victim out, and with accomplices, restrained him, threatened him with a knife, and forced him into a car, driving him to Long An.

In Long An, the defendants threatened the victim with knives and hammers, demanding he transfer 10 million USDT. After negotiations, they reduced the demand to 5 million USDT but insisted on an initial transfer of 2 million USDT. Li Chuang then forced the victim to call family and friends to transfer 200,000 USDT into designated accounts.

The group then moved the victim to a secluded area in Hoc Mon District, coercing him to transfer an additional over 400,000 USDT. In total, the victim was forced to transfer over 600,000 USDT.

After receiving the money, Nguyen Thanh Loi was transporting Xuyen to buy food when they were discovered. Loi fled into the forest but was apprehended on 4/3/2025.