On 30/7, Phuong (51, general manager of the former Ruby karaoke chain in Binh Tan district) was sentenced to 4 years in prison by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court. Le Thanh Vinh, 37, and Nguyen Thi Thao received 3-year sentences for prostitution brokerage. Ngo Thi Le Nhi, 27, received a one-year suspended sentence.
According to the indictment, from 2017 to 2022, the Ruby karaoke chain, established by Huynh Cong Luan (who has left the country), consisted of three establishments in the former Binh Tan district. In late 2023, Luan transferred ownership of Ruby 1 and Ruby 3 to Phuong, while Vinh took ownership of Ruby 2. Phuong also served as the general manager of all three establishments.
Each establishment had a general manager and several individuals who directly managed the female staff, known as "madams." Thao managed the female staff at Ruby 2, while Nhi managed the female staff at Ruby 3.
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Defendants Phan Hoang Phuong (right) and Le Thanh Vinh at court today. Photo: Binh Nguyen |
Defendants Phan Hoang Phuong (right) and Le Thanh Vinh at court today. Photo: Binh Nguyen
Due to low customer traffic, Phuong instructed her subordinates to organize prostitution to increase revenue. When male customers made requests, the madams would arrange for staff and negotiate prices ranging from 2 to 5 million VND, paid directly to the staff or the madam. The broker received a 10% commission.
To conceal their activities, staff were required to write a "leave request" citing "family matters," which the managers would approve. They were instructed to dress discreetly and not return to the establishment after engaging in prostitution to avoid detection.
On the afternoon of 22/12/2023, two male customers at Ruby 2 requested prostitution services. Thao introduced two staff members at a price of 3 million VND each. After Vinh signed their leave requests, the pairs went to a hotel where they were discovered by authorities during an inspection.
On the same day, at Ruby 3, Nhi called a former staff member to the establishment and arranged for her to engage in prostitution with a customer for 2 million VND. Nhi received a 200,000 VND commission.
That evening, Ho Chi Minh City police conducted simultaneous inspections of the hotel where the prostitution occurred and the two karaoke establishments, Ruby 2 and Ruby 3. Thao and Vinh were brought in for questioning. Phuong and Nhi surrendered a few days later.
During the investigation, Thao confessed to brokering 4 instances of prostitution, earning 1.2 million VND. Nhi admitted to brokering for one person, earning 200,000 VND.
In court, Phuong and her accomplices admitted to the offenses as stated in the indictment but claimed they were merely employees and did not profit from the prostitution.
However, the People's Procuracy asserted that the defendants were responsible as the organizers of the prostitution ring, motivated by increasing revenue, from which they received salaries and benefits.
Because Huynh Cong Luan has left the country, the investigative agency lacks sufficient evidence to proceed against him at this time but will continue the investigation.
Binh Nguyen
