Beauty Queen Arrested for Promoting Counterfeit Fiber Gummies

Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, the winner of the Miss Grand International pageant in 2021, has been arrested for consumer fraud after promoting a counterfeit fiber gummies (supplement) on her social media channels. Thuy Tien, a well-known personality in Vietnam, had heavily marketed Kera Supergreens Gummies, claiming they were rich in fiber. However, product tests revealed that each gummy contained only 16mg of fiber, far from the claimed 200mg.

The product’s packaging also failed to specify fiber content and neglected to mention the presence of sorbitol, a compound used in laxatives. Investigators found that the product was a joint venture between Thuy Tien and a company set up by influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc. The influencers claimed that each gummy contained fiber equivalent to a plate of vegetables.

Thuy Tien’s arrest follows a public backlash after the product tests revealed the truth. More than 100,000 boxes of the gummies were sold before sales were halted due to the scandal. The beauty queen had become a celebrity in Vietnam after winning the pageant and had received accolades from the government, including certificates of merit from the prime minister and Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party.

The authorities have charged Thuy Tien, Pham Quang Linh, and Hang Du Muc with producing counterfeit goods and defrauding customers. The two influencers were fined in March and apologized to the public, while Thuy Tien’s arrest was announced on Monday.