Bitney multi-level marketing chain case: 107,000 Vietnamese participants: Strange move to simultaneously reduce capital

Two masterminds were arrested by Phu Tho Provincial Police - Photo: Phu Tho Provincial Police

As reported by Tuoi Tre Online , Phu Tho Provincial Police have just dismantled a multi-level marketing network of particularly large scale, with nearly 200,000 members, of which 107,348 are Vietnamese citizens from many provinces and cities across the country. The rest are foreigners from many countries.

Notably, this line traded in functional foods containing banned substances, directly affecting the lives and health of consumers and illegally profiting thousands of billions of dong.

The business ecosystem behind the pyramid scheme

According to initial investigation results, the subjects established Bitney Vietnam Investment Trading Company Limited in District 6 (HCMC) to trade in food products.

There are also a number of other businesses in this "ecosystem" such as: Bitney Vietnam Investment Services Trading Company Limited, Bitney House Company Limited...

According to data from the Ho Chi Minh City Business Registration Office, Bitney Vietnam Investment Trading Company Limited was established in September 2019, headquartered at 109, Street 22, Ward 11, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City.

The legal representative, director and business owner is Tat Van Hao (born in 1977, Chinese ethnicity). When it was first established, the company had a charter capital of 10 billion VND.

However, in 2024, the company suddenly reduced its capital to only 100 million VND after 4 years of operation.

A similar situation also occurred at Bitney House Company Limited - another enterprise established by Tat Van Hao in May 2022, when its charter capital was also reduced from VND 13 billion to VND 100 million in the same period. Bitney House is headquartered at 162/20/19 An Duong Vuong, Ward 16, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to research, the products of this multi-level marketing line were advertised on many websites such as: https://bitneyvn.com ; bitney.net; bitneygroup.com; bitneyfansclubvn.com...

Currently the above websites are not accessible.

In addition, the subjects also promote advertising on social networking platforms such as Facebook, Zalo, YouTube... Not only promoting the "miraculous" effects of the product, they also organize seminars and online meetings to provide health consultation - but in fact, to sell products and attract participants according to the multi-level model.

Was warned of illegal multi-level marketing

Previously, from 2022 to 2023, Bitney Vietnam Investment Trading Company Limited was warned many times about illegal multi-level marketing activities.

In June 2023, the Department of Industry and Trade of Nghe An province issued a warning regarding this company's uncertified multi-level marketing activities, related to two products Multi Juice and Lucenta.

Warning image of illegal multi-level marketing activities by the Department of Competition and Consumer Protection for Multi Juice and Lucenta products.

Notably, the company has organized groups, conferences, and seminars to introduce the two products above. In particular, Multi Juice - mixed fruit juice - is advertised to have up to 12 uses such as supporting the treatment of gout and cardiovascular disease; improving skin, reducing wrinkles; firming muscles and body shape; balancing nerves; supporting liver, kidney, and lung; reducing hair loss; increasing vitality; preventing tumors, increasing immunity; improving physiology and purifying the body.

Lucenta - Deer Placenta is advertised as having outstanding effects in supporting the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Not only providing exaggerated information about the effects, the subjects also instructed participants to invite more members and build a system to receive commissions - typical characteristics of illegal multi-level marketing models.

However, the Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed that up to now, it has not issued a certificate of registration for multi-level sales activities to any business or organization named Bitney, according to the provisions of law.

Previously in 2022, the Department of Competition and Consumer Protection (Ministry of Industry and Trade) also issued a similar warning about the two products Multi Juice and Lucenta.

Through review, this agency recorded products with false advertising about their uses and accompanied by illegal multi-level marketing activities.

By May 14, Phu Tho Provincial Police had arrested four people for "violating regulations on multi-level marketing", including Tat Van Hao (48 years old, living in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) and Lim Choon Foong (aka Nick Lim, 43 years old, Malaysian nationality, temporarily residing in District 6, Ho Chi Minh City) as the ringleaders.

BINH KHANH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vu-duong-day-da-cap-bitney-107-000-nguoi-viet-tham-gia-dong-thai-la-dong-loat-giam-von-20250523195043851.htm