The Supreme People's Procuracy has issued an indictment against 41 individuals in connection with a major gambling and illegal gaming ring that operated at King Club, located on the first floor of the Pullman Hotel in Hanoi.

Among those indicted, five individuals face charges of organizing gambling, including Cho Choo Keun, Shim Hawn Hee, Choi Jin Bok, Phan Truong Giang, and Nguyen Dinh Lam.

An additional 136 people have been charged with gambling offenses. Notably, two of the accused are former government officials: Ngo Ngoc Duc, former Party Secretary of Hoa Binh City (formerly part of Hoa Binh Province), and Ho Dai Dung, former vice chairman of the Phu Tho provincial government.

According to the investigation, King Club operated as an electronic gaming venue under the ownership of Viet Hai Dang Company. In October 2019, individuals from Viet Hai Dang signed a management and operations agreement with HS Development Vietnam, led by South Korean national Kim In Sung.

Kim employed three aides - Cho Choon Keun, Shim Hawn Hee, and Choi Jin Bok - to oversee access for Vietnamese nationals, track gambling activities, and manage revenue.

Nguyen Dinh Lam and Phan Truong Giang supported Kim in managing and operating the club.

Together, the accused organized unauthorized gambling for 145 Vietnamese nationals via electronic games with cash prizes.

The total gambling transactions exceeded USD 106 million (approximately VND 2.576 trillion), from which Kim In Sung allegedly profited over USD 9.2 million.

Prior to the police bust, Kim In Sung fled the country and is currently wanted by authorities. As he remains at large, the investigation into his involvement has been separated for future legal proceedings.

T. Nhung