Vietnamese Beauty Queen Arrested Over Deceptive Fiber Gummies Scandal

Authorities have detained Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, a former Miss Grand International 2021 titleholder, for allegedly deceiving consumers with misleading claims regarding a fiber supplement she endorsed.

Vietnam's beauty queen and popular influencer, Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, has been arrested for promoting Kera Supergreens Gummies, marketed as a high-fiber dietary product. The gummies gained traction among health-conscious individuals through aggressive social media marketing, with claims that one gummy contained as much fiber as an entire plate of vegetables. However, independent tests revealed that each gummy contained a mere 16mg of fiber, contradicting the exaggerated 200mg claims made by Tien and her fellow influencers.

The scandal erupted when a concerned customer sent the product for lab testing, exposing the significant discrepancies. Investigations subsequently discovered that sub-par ingredients were used in manufacturing the gummies, which also failed to clearly indicate fiber content as well as excessive sorbitol, a sugar alcohol commonly used in laxatives.

Previously, the influencers behind the marketing of the gummies faced penalties, with Tien’s peers, Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc, issued fines and publicly apologizing for their part in the deception. Following their violations, both influencers, along with members of the manufacturing company, were arrested for producing counterfeit goods and defrauding consumers.

On Monday, authorities confirmed Tien's arrest as part of the continuing crackdown on the fraudulent scheme, as sales of over 100,000 gummy boxes had reportedly taken place prior to the scandal’s exposure. Nguyen, who rose to fame post her beauty pageant victory, has frequently appeared in Vietnamese pop culture and received accolades from both the government and major brands, making her arrest even more sensational.