The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on the evening of 19 November sentenced Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, Pham Quang Linh and Nguyen Thi Thai Hang to two years in prison for misleading customers. The court also handed down three years and three months to Le Tuan Linh and three years to Le Thanh Cong. Each defendant received an additional fine of fifty million dong.
The court said the defendants used their fame and the trust of consumers to promote Kera fiber candy with false claims. They were found to have collected more than seventeen billion dong from sales. The company Chi Em Rot is responsible for compensating customers who request refunds. So far, twenty two buyers have asked for their money back.
According to findings presented in court, Linh handled legal registration of the business and coordinated the Kera candy operation. Thuy Tien invested twenty five percent of the company’s capital, later raised to thirty percent. Cong worked with manufacturers and set up the company’s office and staffing. Thuy Tien, Hang Du Muc and Quang Linh produced promotional videos and livestreamed sales. Thuy Tien also served as the brand’s public representative.
Investigators said the defendants knew the product contained only 0.935 percent fiber, far below what was advertised, and that the manufacturer did not have certified raw material sources. Despite this, they promoted the candy as containing ten vegetable and fruit powders making up more than twenty eight percent of the product.
The court concluded that the group created staged content at rented fields and provided false information about ingredients, production technology and health benefits. The judges noted that the defendants cooperated during the trial and have a record of social work, which served as mitigating factors.
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Source: Vietnam Insider