$13M online gambling bust lands 28 Vietnamese in trouble

Vietnamese authorities are on a roll.

Last week, 56 people involved in an illegal online gambling ring were sentenced by the People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City to spend between nine months to eight years in jail. This time, more than two dozen people also found themselves in deep criminal trouble with Vietnamese authorities.

Charges were filed against 28 people who prosecutors said were involved in an online gambling ring that amassed $13 million in bet money, media outlet Thanh Nien News reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, 38-year-old Pham Huy Toan—the alleged ringleader—possessed 58 bank accounts that he used to receive more than VND 301 billion ($13.3 million) of bet money from local players, which include doctors, students, and even government officials.