Authorities in Vietnam have taken into custody a beauty queen and social media influencer on charges of consumer fraud, following her promotion of a counterfeit fibre supplement.
Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien actively promoted gummies touted for their high fibre content across her social media platforms.
However, a significant public outcry ensued following the revelation that product tests contradicted this claim.
Ms. Nguyen, a former titleholder of the Miss Grand International beauty pageant, has established herself as a prominent figure in Vietnam and has been recognised with honours from the government in the past.
Ms. Nguyen has collaborated with social media influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc to promote Kera Supergreens Gummies.
According to investigators, the product emerged from a collaborative effort involving Ms. Nguyen and a company established by two other influencers.
Influencers asserted that every gummy they promoted offered a fibre content comparable to that of a plate of vegetables.
A public citizen submitted the product for laboratory analysis, revealing that each gummy contained merely 16mg of fibre, significantly lower than the advertised 200mg.
Following the discovery, authorities initiated an investigation that revealed the use of substandard ingredients, notably those low in fibre, in the production of the gummies.
The product’s packaging failed to disclose the fibre content and did not indicate the presence of a significant amount of sorbitol, a substance commonly found in laxatives.
In March, three influencers faced fines and subsequently issued public apologies.
In the subsequent month, Vietnamese authorities took action by arresting Mr. Pham and Hang Du Muc, along with officials from their company and the manufacturer of the gummies.
Authorities have filed charges against them for the production of counterfeit goods and for defrauding customers.
On Monday, officials revealed that Ms. Nguyen has been taken into custody on charges of allegedly misleading customers.
Sales of the gummies exceeded 100,000 boxes before being suspended in light of the ongoing scandal.
Following her victory in the Bangkok-based beauty pageant in 2021, Ms. Nguyen quickly rose to fame, attracting the attention of numerous Vietnamese brands and making appearances on various reality TV shows.
The prime minister and the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam awarded her certificates of merit.
