Nguyen Thanh Phong, former Director of the Food Safety Authority under Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, has been arrested and prosecuted for allegedly accepting bribes in connection with a massive counterfeit health supplement operation that spanned several years and involved dozens of fraudulent product certifications.

The Ministry of Public Security confirmed on May 13 that Phong and four other officials from the Food Safety Authority were charged with "receiving bribes." Four of the five have been detained, while one has been placed under house arrest.

The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into large-scale fraud and fake health product distribution led by Nguyen Nang Manh, Chairman of MEDIUSA and Director of MegaPhaco, and several accomplices. According to investigators, these individuals managed a network of nine companies that produced and distributed counterfeit dietary supplements across the country since at least 2016.

Officials implicated in fraudulent certification process

The investigation uncovered extensive bribery during the evaluation and approval process of food supplement products. Nguyen Thanh Phong, who served as Director of the Food Safety Authority from 2015 until his retirement in September 2024, is accused of facilitating the issuance of 207 product registration certificates and four GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certifications for MediPhar and MediUSA - two factories operated by Manh’s network.

To secure these certifications, Manh and his associate Do Manh Hoang allegedly paid over 1 billion VND (approximately $39,300 USD) to officials from the Food Safety Authority during inspections. Inspectors reportedly reduced the number of recorded violations, offered guidance to “correct” infractions, and allowed the facilities to remain operational, despite evidence of minimal compliance.

In some cases, such as those involving Phong’s subordinate Cao Van Trung, the GMP evaluation relied solely on photos and written reports supplied by the companies without any physical verification.

Over 2 billion VND in bribes to fast-track product approvals

In addition to the GMP certifications, more than 2 billion VND (roughly $78,600 USD) was allegedly paid to fast-track the approval of over 200 health supplement products marketed by companies under Manh’s control, including MediPhar, MediUSA, MegaLife, Viet Duc, Mega Pharco, Viet Phap, Lien doanh USA, PharmaCist, and Vita Phar.

These fraudulent approvals enabled the mass production and sale of fake health supplements to the public. An earlier investigation into counterfeit milk powder linked to this network revealed nine fake products, raising significant public concern about consumer safety and the integrity of health regulations.

Officials facing prosecution

The five officials charged include:

Nguyen Thanh Phong, former Director of the Food Safety Authority
Dinh Quang Minh, Director of the Center for Food Safety Training and Application
Nguyen Thi Minh Hai, Deputy Director of the Center
Le Thi Hien, a specialist at the Center
Cao Van Trung, Deputy Head of the Foodborne Illness Surveillance Division

While Minh Hai has been placed under house arrest, the remaining four were taken into custody pending further investigation.

A broken system exploited for profit

According to Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, there were nearly 30,000 registered health supplement products in the country between 2021 and 2024. The Food Safety Authority, tasked with evaluating and certifying these products, is the gatekeeper for ensuring that supplements on the market meet health and safety standards.

Investigators have found that the certification process was compromised at multiple levels, enabling a criminal network to gain illicit profits through the sale of unregulated and fake products. These practices not only deceived consumers but also posed serious health risks and undermined trust in public health institutions.

The Ministry of Public Security has vowed to continue expanding the investigation, identifying additional violations, and ensuring that all those involved are held accountable.

T. Nhung - Vo Thu