TikTok star Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan - Ngan98 - arrested for hawking fake weightloss products in Vietnam

The arrest of TikTok star Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, known online as Ngan 98, took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on October 13.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department, Ngan was detained after investigators discovered she had been producing and trading counterfeit dietary supplements under her ZuBu Trading and Services Co., Ltd. and ZuBu Shop brands.

Authorities said Ngan “was not honest, provided evasive statements, and shifted blame to others to evade responsibility” during questioning.

Financial records, delivery data, production contracts and employee statements confirmed that she orchestrated the entire operation and directly controlled the business, financial, and production processes.

Police stated that since 2021, Ngan had collaborated with factories in Hanoi to manufacture weight-loss supplements marketed as Super Detox X3, X7 and X1000.

Although these products were legally registered, she included unlicensed “vegetable collagen capsules” as so-called “free gifts” with each set.

Investigators said the capsules were not registered for sale, yet were packaged under the same brands and promoted as enhancing weight-loss results.

Labels on the packaging read “free gift, not for sale” to evade regulatory scrutiny, but customers effectively paid for them as part of the supplement sets, which cost between 870,000 Vietnamese dong and 1.1m dong (£25 and £31).

The products were distributed nationwide through Facebook, TikTok and the company hotline, with claims that users could lose between 4kg and 15kg (8.8lbs and 13lbs) per programme.

Sales proceeds were reportedly routed through accounts belonging to relatives and employees before being funnelled into Ngan’s personal account.

Delivery data showed that between 2023 and 2024 alone, the operation generated revenues of hundreds of billions of dong.

Forensic tests by the Ministry of Public Security found that the products were counterfeit and some collagen capsules contained banned substances, including sibutramine and phenolphthalein. Both are substances with a track record of usage for weight-loss products, but both are banned or restricted in many countries due to the serious health risks they pose.

Experts said these substances could cause cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, digestive disorders and potentially increase cancer risk.

The Ho Chi Minh City Police announced that they are expanding the investigation to determine the involvement of others.

Ngan, who has over 40m views on TikTok, was already known for her controversial image and provocative posts.

She previously entered the entertainment industry as a DJ and model, often drawing attention for revealing outfits and public statements.

In 2020, Ngan tested positive for drugs during a police inspection at a bar in Tay Ninh while performing as a DJ. Her boyfriend, singer-composer Luong Bang Quang, claimed at the time that she had been “trapped” after being offered drinks by others.

Before her arrest, Ngan often promoted herself online as the “CEO of ZuBu” and modelled her own products in livestreams.

Authorities have now confirmed that she faces charges under Article 193 of Vietnam’s Penal Code for producing and trading counterfeit food products.

Story NewsX