CaliToday (13/10/2025): Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan, a controversial social media personality widely known as DJ Ngân 98, has been arrested on allegations of producing and selling counterfeit weight loss supplements, including a "collagen" product found to contain banned substances seriously detrimental to consumer health.
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| Ngan 98 at the investigation agency. Photo: VietNam Police |
The Economic Police Division of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department announced on Monday, October 13, that Ngan was taken into temporary custody. She is being investigated for the "production and trade of counterfeit goods, specifically food products," under Article 193 of the Criminal Code. The arrest follows an investigation into her companies, ZuBu Trading-Service Co., Ltd., and the ZuBu Shop business household.
According to investigators, although Ngan's mother was the registered director of ZuBu Company and another individual was the named head of ZuBu Shop, Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan was the ultimate operator and beneficiary of all business, financial, and operational activities.
The investigation revealed that since 2021, Ngan had contracted several factories in Hanoi to manufacture a line of weight loss supplements, including products branded as "Super Detox X3," "X7," and "X1000." While these primary products were officially licensed for circulation, authorities allege Ngan used a deceptive "free gift" tactic to distribute an unlicensed and dangerous secondary product.
This secondary product, marketed as "Collagen vegetable viên" (Collagen vegetable capsules), was illegally bundled with the licensed detox products. Despite lacking the required permits and product registration, the collagen capsules were packaged with the same X3, X7, and X1000 branding. Ngan advertised these capsules as a bonus item that would "enhance the weight loss effect" when used in conjunction with the main product. The packaging was marked "Included gift, not for sale" in an apparent attempt to circumvent regulatory scrutiny.
However, investigators assert that these products were sold as a complete, inseparable "treatment course." Customers were encouraged to use both items simultaneously for "faster weight loss results."
The products were shipped from the manufacturing facilities in Hanoi to a ZuBu Shop warehouse in Ho Chi Minh City and subsequently marketed and sold nationwide through social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, as well as a company hotline. Customers were advised to purchase "weight loss courses" designed to help lose between 4 to 15 kilograms, with each set, including a detox box and the corresponding collagen packet, priced from 870,000 to 1.1 million VND.
To obscure the revenue stream, payments were allegedly funneled through multiple bank accounts belonging to relatives and employees before being consolidated into Ngan's personal account. According to data provided by delivery partners, the operation generated hundreds of billions of VND in revenue between 2023 and 2024 alone.
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| Weight loss pills that Ngan 98 sold - evidence of the case. Photo: VietNam Police |
A forensic analysis conducted by the Ministry of Public Security's Institute of Criminal Science confirmed that the products sold by Ngan were counterfeit and failed to meet the quality standards declared in their registration. More alarmingly, samples of the "Collagen vegetable viên" were found to contain sibutramine and phenolphthalein. Both are potent, banned substances known to pose severe health risks, including cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, digestive problems, and a potential risk of cancer.
DJ Ngân 98 is a well-known figure on Vietnamese social media, famous for her numerous plastic surgeries and for receiving a fine for provocative attire. In recent years, she transitioned into selling cosmetics and weight loss supplements and has also been noted for her charitable activities.
This case emerges amidst a wider crackdown by Vietnamese authorities on counterfeit goods. In recent months, officials have uncovered numerous operations producing fake milk, fraudulent medicines, and low-quality health supplements and cosmetics. The incident also highlights a growing public concern over celebrities and influencers in Vietnam who have been criticized for irresponsibly promoting products with exaggerated or false claims.