On 17/1, the Investigation Police Agency Office of Da Nang City Police announced the temporary detention of seven individuals for using computer networks, telecommunication networks, and electronic devices to appropriate property, under Article 290, Clause 4 of the Penal Code.

The defendants are Nguyen Van Chung, 31 years old; Nguyen Duc Long, 26 years old; Ong Khac Minh, 26 years old; Ta Van Ba, 37 years old; Cao Ba Nam Viet, 35 years old; Vu Tri Huy, 31 years old; and Nguyen Anh Do, 27 years old. All reside in Bac Ninh.

The case came to light after investigators received complaints from a 36-year-old woman in An Khe ward, Da Nang, and several others, who reported being defrauded while participating in cryptocurrency investments on a platform named Nasdaq, which was fake.

Nasdaq is the world's second-largest electronic stock exchange, located in the United States, known for major technology companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta, Tesla.

Defendants at the police station. Photo: Police provided

Initial verification revealed that from early 2024, Nguyen Van Chung traveled to Cambodia, where he connected with a Chinese national named A Long. Together, they organized the scam operations in Kim Sa 3, Bavet. This group recruited Vietnamese individuals, assigning them specific roles, and used a fake Nasdaq website. They also created Zalo and Telegram groups with dozens of virtual accounts to "create waves," report fake profits, and impersonate investment experts to lure victims into depositing money.

After defrauding victims, the funds were circulated through multiple bank accounts and then converted into cryptocurrency to conceal their origin.

Initially, investigators determined that the group had defrauded two victims of over 1,1 billion VND. The total amount this gang is estimated to have appropriated is 14 billion VND.

During an urgent search, police seized numerous exhibits, including: a USB containing scam scripts, phones, tablets, laptops; over 5,2 billion VND in cash, various foreign currencies, dozens of gold-colored metal rings, six land use right certificates, and related electronic data.

The case is currently under further investigation. Through this case, Da Nang Police advise citizens to be vigilant against online investment invitations promising "high profits, low risks" on social media. They also caution against transferring money to unlicensed websites or applications and urge people to report any suspicious signs promptly.