In a shocking occurrence of modern-day slavery, a group of Vietnamese criminals have been found guilty of kidnapping a Chinese programmer and torturing him for months in an attempt to have him create an online gambling game.
The Hanoi People’s Court recently sentenced the perpetrators to extensive jail time for the crimes of deliberately causing bodily harm and illegally arresting, detaining, or imprisoning a person. This disturbing incident has brought up concerns for the safety of foreign nationals in Vietnam, sparking international conversations about how to better protect expats living and working abroad.
Crime
In this gruesome story, 4 Vietnamese men kidnapped and tortured a Chinese Programmer named Fang Lijing. Mr. Lijing was originally hired by Hoang Thanh Son to create an online gambling app in exchange for 20% of future profits. However, when Hoang Thanh Son was constantly changing the demands and parameters of the app, Mr. Lijing eventually tried to back out of the deal, stating that he could not work with the man and complete the project.
Hoang Thanh Son then planned and carried out the abduction of Mr. Lijing. Fang Lijing was held against his will for months and forced to continue working on programming the app. To hide Mr. Lijing, the kidnappers rented a house on the outskirts of Hanoi and tortured him to complete the original project.
Prosecutors revealed that the kidnappers resorted to savage methods of torture, including beatings, body mutilations, electrocutions, and tooth extractions, to coerce Fang into creating the gambling program. Hoang Thanh Son had enlisted Vuong Van Kiem and Pham Van Huan to help with household tasks and participate in the torture sessions, during which they played loud music to mask Fang’s cries for help. Later on, a third man was hired to assist in chores, guard duty, and torture.
The ordeal lasted four months until the criminals were discovered on July 14, leaving Fang with injuries covering 88% of his body.
Details on the kind of game this programmer was forced to create have not been divulged. Nevertheless, it has not been ruled out that the casino game these captors demanded is similar to those offered at licensed operators offering the best Vietnam no deposit bonus codes.
Culprits and Sentencing
Throughout this ordeal, three out of the four criminals were apprehended and sentenced. All of the culprits received significant sentences for their part in the crimes, with each participant receiving between 12 and 24 years of jail time.
According to the Hanoi People’s Court, they were all found guilty of various crimes including “deliberate infliction of bodily harm,” and “illegal arrest, detention or imprisonment of a person,”. During the trial, Kiem claimed that another Chinese man had hired him to “look after” Fang, while Pham Van Huan and Hoang confessed to their crimes, stating that they were employed by Son and Kiem and had no prior knowledge of Fang.
Hoang Thanh Son planned and carried out the attack, but the accomplices Vuong Van Kiem, Ly Van Hoang, and Pham Van Huan were both considered equally as guilty for taking part in the torture and willingly agreeing to the attacks knowing exactly what they entailed.
Vuong Van Kiem and Pham Van Huan were originally hired to guard and torture Mr. Lijing, but Ly Van Hoang was hired later on in the crime to assist with guarding and torture. Hoang Thanh Son, the man who originally planned the crime and hired the men is still at large and being hunted by police.
Recovery
After months of torture, Mr. Lijing was on the brink of death. With only 10 teeth remaining and severe psychological and physical damage, he was quickly rushed to the hospital after being rescued. To protect his dignity and well-being, his current whereabouts and condition on being kept confidential as his future is decided.
Result? Things to prevent
The case has raised some serious questions about the safety of foreign nationals in Vietnam, especially in regard to criminal activity related to online gambling. Both the Chinese and Vietnamese governments are looking into creating safer regulations and security for those trying to earn money and start businesses in foreign countries. In addition, Vietnamese authorities are urging citizens to be wary of anyone offering quick money or illegitimate contract deals.
As the search for Son continues, it’s clear that there is a need for international cooperation to bring both him and others involved in similar criminal enterprises to justice. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dark side of the online gambling industry and the need for the public to stay vigilant in combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Author’s Bio:
As a dedicated Senior Content Writer, Connor Bates is someone who’s always keeping a look out for anything newsworthy. When he’s not writing about the latest gambling updates, he’s reviewing providers and their offerings and any newly released games. In his free time, Connor crams in his rigorous exercise regime, because to him, keeping fit and healthy is something he takes very seriously.
