The Department of Anti-Corruption, Economic, and Smuggling Crime Investigation Police (C03) has initiated legal proceedings against Nguyen Dinh Minh Khoa, Nguyen Trung Anh, Nguyen Dinh Xuan, and Nguyen Hoang Thanh. They are being investigated for copyright and related rights infringement and money laundering.
Nguyen Phuoc Toan, Doan Thanh Luan, and Nguyen Khuong Duy face accusations of copyright and related rights infringement.
Of the defendants, 4 have been placed in temporary detention, while 3 others are prohibited from leaving their place of residence.
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The 7 defendants involved in the case. Photo: Ministry of Public Security |
Acting on intelligence provided by the US Department of Homeland Security's investigative agency and the Motion Picture Association of America's Creative and Entertainment Alliance, C03 collaborated with other units to investigate intellectual property infringements involving the unauthorized copying and online distribution of films.
Initial investigation results revealed that from 2020 to 4/2026, the group created over 100 websites to host more than 26,000 illegally copied films, which they uploaded without the consent of the copyright holders.
The uploaded films garnered a large global audience, generating approximately 12,85 million USDT (equivalent to 308,4 billion VND) in advertising revenue from the websites.
The group employed deceptive tactics to obscure the origin and flow of funds, aiming to evade police detection. Ultimately, they transferred these illicit gains into personal bank accounts to integrate them into the legitimate financial system.
Police are currently consolidating evidence, expanding the investigation, and working to fully recover assets for the State.
In early may, the Prime Minister called for a nationwide crackdown on intellectual property infringement. A key focus of this initiative involves dismantling websites that widely distribute pirated films, music, video games, and television programs.
The Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with leading investigations into serious cases involving copyright, related rights, trademarks, and geographical indications. Following this directive, numerous copyright infringement cases have been initiated.
