A Vietnamese court has sentenced former beauty queen Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien to two years in jail for falsely promoting a gummy product as high in fibre on her social media platforms, state media reported yesterday.
According to VnExpress, the judges ruled that Tien knowingly misled consumers, as the actual fibre content of the gummies was only 0.935 per cent, far below what was advertised.
Tien, who won Miss Grand International 2021 in Thailand and previously received a commendation from Vietnam’s prime minister, had endorsed Kera Supergreens Gummies alongside fellow influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc, both of whom also received two-year prison terms.
“They committed the offense intentionally and gained a large illicit profit, so strict punishment is necessary,” the court ruled.
The gummies were marketed as a healthy product, claiming that each gummy provided the equivalent of a plate of vegetables, but investigations showed they contained over 30 per cent sorbitol, an artificial sweetener with laxative effects, along with undisclosed additives.
The court revealed that more than 129,000 packages were sold to over 56,000 customers, generating over US$650,000 (RM2.7 million) in revenue. The three influencers reportedly profited by US$473,000.
Kera Supergreens Gummies was found to be a joint operation between Tien and a company run by the other two influencers, with Tien holding a 30 per cent stake.
Tien’s popularity surged following her international pageant win in 2021, leading to numerous advertising deals prior to the scandal.
