Vietnamese illegal gambling ring accused have their day in court

Fifty-nine Vietnamese people, accused of being involved in an international online gambling ring, went to trial Tuesday in a Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court.

Xinhua News agency reported that investigations had uncovered almost 12000 accounts, with total transactions valued at over 2000 billion Vietnamese Dong (around GBP 58.8 million), which were opened on Mansion (Gibraltar) Limited’s M88.com gambling website (see previous report).

Transactions reportedly comprised mainly football betting.

The investigation remains open as Vietnamese Police still seek Nguyen Vo Hoia Tram who is accused of acting as the first M88 agent in Vietnam.

Of the fifty-nine defendants currently on trial, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Procuracy has proposed six of those be prosecuted under gambling organisation charges and the rest for gambling participation.

Xinhua reports Cu Huy Giap, one of the men standing trial for gambling organisation, has been accused of opening and using six M88 accounts to transfer over 629 billion Vietnamese Dong (GBP 18.5 million).

The trial is scheduled to run until May 19, 2015.