Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, the Miss Grand International 2021 winner, faces legal repercussions after promoting a falsely marketed health supplement, leading to public outcry and her arrest.
Vietnamese Beauty Queen Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien Arrested for Fraud Over Fake Fibre Gummies
Vietnamese Beauty Queen Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien Arrested for Fraud Over Fake Fibre Gummies
Authorities take action against beauty queen and influencers promoting counterfeit health product
Authorities in Vietnam have made headlines with the arrest of beauty queen and popular social media influencer, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, for her alleged involvement in a consumer fraud scandal surrounding counterfeit fibre gummies. The gummies, marketed as being rich in dietary fibre, were heavily promoted by Tien through her social media platforms, alongside fellow influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc.
The controversy escalated when independent product testing revealed significant discrepancies between the claimed and actual fibre content. While the influencers advertised the products as containing 200mg of fibre per gummy — equivalent to a plate of vegetables — tests conducted discovered that each gummy contained merely 16mg of fibre.
In response to the growing backlash, an investigation was launched, exposing that low-quality ingredients with inadequate fibre levels were used in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the gummies' packaging failed to adequately disclose the true fibre content, nor did it state the high levels of sorbitol, a common laxative ingredient, present in the product.
In March, the three influencers received fines for their actions and publicly apologized to the dissatisfied consumers. However, the situation intensified when Pham Quang Linh, Hang Du Muc, and other company officials were arrested and charged for producing counterfeit goods and defrauding customers.
As part of the ongoing probe, Tien was apprehended on Monday amid accusations of misleading customers. Over 100,000 boxes of the fiber gummies had reportedly been sold before marketing was suspended due to the scandal.
Since her victory at the Bangkok-based Miss Grand International competition in 2021, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien had risen to fame, securing partnerships with numerous Vietnamese brands and appearing in various reality television shows. Her prominence also earned her recognition through certificates of merit from the Vietnamese prime minister and the Communist Party.
