How was the President of the Vietnam Boxing Federation arrested in the US?

Despite being wanted by Australia for many years, President of the Vietnam Boxing Federation Luu Tu Bao was arrested in the US on charges unrelated to drugs.

Liu Xiubao is not currently facing charges of drug trafficking or transportation in U.S. courts. The criminal case in which he was arrested and is being prosecuted is a case in which the Santa Clara County District Attorney has charged him with kidnapping and false imprisonment.

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

On September 5, the news that Mr. Liu Xiu Bao, the 2023 WBA Asia honorary belt holder, was arrested in the US and is being considered for extradition to Australia to face drug trafficking charges shocked the online community, especially boxing enthusiasts. Mr. Bao is currently the President of the Vietnam Boxing Federation (VBF) since 2023, and is also the CEO of Saigon Sports Club (SSC).

According to documents filed in the Northern District of California Federal District Court, Liu Xiubao (also known as 'Chris', 'Big Brother'), 49, is believed to be the leader of a transnational criminal organization, and is wanted by Australia for allegedly conspiring with his accomplices to smuggle 78kg of cocaine from South America to the port of Melbourne between September 2016 and June 2017. Liu is said to have used his long-standing relationships with a network of contacts to source, supply and finance the drugs, which have now been seized by Australian police. An arrest warrant for the 49-year-old chairman was also reissued by the Melbourne Magistrates Court in Victoria on April 2, 2025. The Northern District of California Federal District Court accepted Liu Xiubao's extradition request from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs in mid-August 2025. On August 28, Mr. Liu appeared at the preliminary hearing, where lawyers from both sides agreed on a schedule for filing motions, objections, and responses, followed by a hearing scheduled for the morning of January 29, 2026 (local time) by Judge Thomas S. Hixson.

Information about the arrest of Mr. Liu Xiubao is clearly stated in the court records obtained by TN reporters.

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

What crime was the President of the Vietnam Boxing Federation arrested in the US for?

According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Liu Xiubao was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under a domestic arrest warrant. According to the released documents, Liu was accused of kidnapping and false imprisonment in Santa Clara County. When the case was submitted to the judicial system, the police found that he had wanted information from the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Despite the widespread information that Mr. Bao was arrested by the FBI upon entering the country at the airport, according to a lawyer practicing in California, this possibility is almost impossible. According to the records in Santa Clara and the Northern District of California Federal Court, Mr. Luu's first court hearing was held on April 3. According to California and federal law, within 48 hours of being arrested, the defendant must be brought to court, have a case number, and an indictment. Therefore, Mr. Luu could not have been arrested since February when he entered the country.

Meanwhile, according to the Santa Clara Police website, Mr. Bao is being held at the Santa Clara County Main Jail. He was arrested on April 1, 2025. According to records, Mr. Luu was not allowed to post bail. After 1 day, on April 2, 2025, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) received information from the FBI that Mr. Bao was arrested in California on a US domestic arrest warrant for kidnapping and false imprisonment.

Since Liu Xiubao was charged and arrested in Australia, the chairman has been based in Ho Chi Minh City, except for a few short trips to Thailand. There is no record of him travelling to Australia since his conviction. His co-defendants in Australia were convicted and appealed, but were unsuccessful.

Why go to a US court instead of being extradited directly to Australia?

In the context of a person detained in the United States, extradition is not just an administrative decision but a complex legal process, said a California-based attorney. Under the US-Australia Extradition Treaty, the Australian government must file a formal request through the US Department of State . The request is then forwarded to a US court, where a judge will conduct a hearing to consider the legal standards. The judge only confirms the validity of the request, not make a final decision. The final decision rests with the US Secretary of State. Therefore, Australia cannot directly arrest a person detained in the US; they must comply with this judicial process.

Additionally, the criminal case for which he was arrested and prosecuted on US soil was over the Santa Clara County prosecutor accusing him of kidnapping and false imprisonment.

In Vietnam, the disappearance of Mr. Luu Tu Bao, President of the Vietnam Boxing Federation (VBF), over the past six months has raised many questions. Many members of the VBF and the Ho Chi Minh City Mixed Martial Arts Federation said they had lost contact with him for many months. The VBF plans to hold an extraordinary congress to elect a new leader to run the federation. Immediately after this meeting, the VBF must send a report to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Home Affairs .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chu-tich-lien-doan-quyen-anh-viet-nam-bi-bat-tren-dat-my-ra-sao-185250905151125137.htm