Seven Charged in Vietnam for $12 Million 'Black Bronze' Statue Fraud

Authorities in An Giang province, Vietnam, have initiated legal proceedings against seven individuals implicated in a sophisticated scam involving the purported sale of a "black bronze" Buddha statue for an exorbitant price of 300 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $12 million USD).

According to initial investigations, the scheme was orchestrated by Nguyen Thi Hien and Huynh Kim Long, who allegedly used social media to contact a potential buyer, identified as Mr. N.D.K. They presented the statue as a rare "black bronze" artifact capable of extraordinary feats, setting the price at 300 billion dong. To solidify the deception, they arranged a meeting in Tri Ton commune, An Giang province, where they involved other individuals to play specific roles in the fraudulent transaction.

During the staged demonstration at Ta Pa lake, members of the group allegedly swapped the real statue with a prepared replica. They used ordinary glass and a thermometer, manipulated to simulate the "black bronze" properties described earlier, convincing Mr. K. of its authenticity. Believing the artifact was genuine, the victim agreed to pay a deposit of 300 million dong.

Immediately after receiving the deposit, one of the suspects, La Minh Huyen, fled the scene as planned to divide the illicit proceeds. The victim, realizing he had been deceived, promptly reported the incident to the authorities. The An Giang Provincial Police Department swiftly investigated, apprehending the suspects within 24 hours of the report. The investigation into the fraud and the subsequent handling of the proceeds is ongoing.