On the afternoon of 10/2, Tuan, 26, was found guilty of disturbing public order by the Regional People's Court 1.

As accomplices, defendant Nguyen Van Tham, the owner of a funeral home; Nguyen Dang Khoa; Nguyen Van Quyet; and his wife, Vu Thi Thanh Xuan, were each sentenced to hai years ba months in prison.

sau other defendants received sentences ranging from hai years suspended to hai years in prison.

Defendant Ho Ngoc Tuan (thu hai, front row) with other defendants in court. Photo: Binh Nguyen

According to the trial panel, the defendants' actions severely affected urban aesthetics, public security, and social safety in the locality, negatively impacting the lives of residents in the surrounding area. The court noted this was an organized act, demonstrating contempt for the law.

However, the court also acknowledged that the defendants had several mitigating circumstances, such as sincere declarations, remorse, and good personal backgrounds, leading to a partial reduction in their sentences.

According to the indictment, around 10/2024, Tuan partnered with Quyet and his wife to sell clothes online through the TikTok account "Never GG". Tuan then developed ideas, designs, and advertisements.

As previous videos were ineffective, Tuan conceived the idea of filming four people dressed in black carrying a coffin through the streets to attract attention, increase views, and boost sales. Quyet and his wife, along with some others, agreed to the plan.

The group contacted Nhan Bao Tho funeral home in Long An to purchase a coffin for ba,5 million dong, hired the facility owner to paint it black, and found people to carry it.

The group of young people carrying a coffin back and forth in front of Ben Thanh market. Photo: Cut from clip

In late 1/2025, they printed decals, pasted them onto the coffin, rented a studio on Huyen Cong Chua street (District 1) to take photos and videos for four hours at a cost of mot,3 million dong, and hired models.

One month later, the group arranged for four individuals, dressed in black and hooded, to carry the coffin on Huyen Cong Chua street. They continued filming in front of Ben Thanh market before leaving. Tuan edited the video and posted it on TikTok, where it garnered thousands of views and comments. Most comments expressed frustration, deeming the advertisement offensive.

In court today, the defendants expressed remorse, stating that carrying the black coffin through the streets was intended to promote a clothing collection for a TikTok account. Many defendants cried during their statements, pleading for leniency from the trial panel.

The defendants hired to carry the coffin testified that they only thought of earning money when accepting the job and did not realize their actions violated the law. They stated that their lack of understanding led to their wrongful conduct and hoped for the lightest possible sentence to return home to their families soon.

Binh Nguyen